


A Way Forward

by Remsyk



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien lizard people, Alteans, Angst, Canon Continuation, Dialogue Heavy, Gloating Galra Prince, History Lessons, M/M, Multi, SHEITH - Freeform, post season two, realistic prosthetics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 17:49:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9777206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remsyk/pseuds/Remsyk
Summary: Shiro is missing. Zarkon is defeated and the Galra stopped, for now. But their work is far from done, and while the paladins search for their missing leader, a new evil rises to take up the Galra banner. Will they fall apart or can they come together when they need it most?





	1. Chapter 1

His ears were buzzing, drowning out all other sound. There were others talking, he was sure of it. But none of them were him. None of them was who he was looking for, the one person who could make this right.

  
What would he do now?

  
“...th!”

  
He said he wanted him to lead, just in case.

  
“...eith!”

  
This was never suppose to happen. How could he possibly lead-

  
“Keith!”

  
The paladin jumped as his head snapped to the source of the voice, his wide eyes meeting Lance’s worried gaze. The blue paladin stood at the back of the cockpit, one hand braced against the doorway.

  
“Keith, are you-”

  
“He’s gone,” Keith cut in, his voice weak with disbelief.

  
“What do you mean, he’s gone?” Lance’s eyes widened in horror as he locked onto the back of the pilot seat. “Oh my god, you mean-”

  
“NO!” Keith shouted, his stomach lurching at the thought “No, he’s just… He’s not here. He’s not in the lion.”

  
Lance seemed to sag with relief. “Did he already head into the castle? Maybe we missed him?” He half turned to the door, as if he could catch a glimpse of the missing pilot.

  
Keith shook his head sharply, fighting the urge to snap at Lance’s suggestion. “I would have seen him.” He bit out slowly. “He would have had to pass me on the way out.”

  
Lance frowned, turning back to Keith. “Then how the heck is he-”

  
"Where's Shiro? Is he okay? Please tell me he's okay! Oh my god, if he's not okay, I will lose it right here-" Hunk's voice echoed up the hallway before he burst through the cockpit door, grabbing onto Lance as he slammed into him.

  
"Jesus Christ Hunk!" Lance snapped, his tone uncharacteristically angry.

  
Hunk paused as he glanced at his friend, taking in his stiff posture and anger. He straightened slowly and looked to Keith. "Guys, where is Shiro?"

  
Keith flinched at his quiet request, his stricken expression tightening with pain. "I don't know," He whispered brokenly.

  
"Paladins!" Allura's call burst through the cabin, causing the occupants to jump. "Paladins, what's going on? Is Shiro okay? Do we need to get a pod ready?"

  
"I'll have one up in two ticks, don't you worry!" Coran chimed in, no doubt already racing to the chambers.

  
The cockpit fell silent in response. Hunk and Lance exchanged a look before they both focused on the remaining occupant.  
"Keith," Lance said softly, searching the paladin's face. When he didn't look up, Lance heaved a sigh. "Keith, we need to answer her."

  
Keith shut his eyes tightly, dreading the conversation to come. Of course he would have to tell her. That's what leaders do, and it seemed the others had decided without him.

  
"Allura-" Keith croaked. He stopped and cleared his throat, hating how broken he sounded, hating how obvious his pain was to the others. "Allura, we're coming out. We don't... We don't need a pod."

  
"Keith, are you alright?" Allura immediately responded. "Are you sure we don't need a pod? Are you injured?"

  
"I'm fine-" Keith inhaled sharply, focusing on calming his anger and frustrations before he continued. "Everyone is okay. We're coming out."

  
He opened his eyes and finally met the others' worried looks. "Go ahead, I'll be right there."

  
Lance opened his mouth, but Hunk laid a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. He steered the blue pilot out of the cockpit, leaving Keith alone.

  
"Black," He whispered. "Black, I need you-" He choked softly on his words. He looked around the room desperately, hoping for some sign of acknowledgement. "I need your help. Please, what happened to Shiro? Where is he?"

  
The lion remained quiet, the silence nearly deafening without the soft humming of machinery.

  
A sob escaped his lips as the heavy silence crushed his hope. He slapped a hand over his mouth as he squeezed his eyes shut, hunching into himself as he willed his grief under control. 'I have to lead. I have to lead them. Team first, self later. Right, Shiro?' Keith nearly lost control with the thought, but he quickly squashed the feeling, shoving them down into a little box in the back of his mind. 'Voltron first, everything else later.'

  
Holding tightly to his mantra, Keith straightened and wiped his face, erasing any trace of his inner turmoil. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he focused on his center.

  
'Patience yields focus.'

  
He opened his eyes and straightened his shoulders, determined to at least pretend like he wasn't falling apart inside. Just as he reached the doorway, a flash of light in the corner of his eye drew his attention. He twisted quickly, hope rising traitorously in his chest before falling as his eyes landed on the source.

  
'Shiro's bayard...' Keith approached slowly, watching as the light faded as he stepped closer. He reached out, hating the way his hand shook, and hesitated just above the handle. A surge of self-loathing overwhelmed his hesitation, and he grabbed the bayard out of its slot. The light faded as he watched, leaving it as cold and lifeless as the lion. Keith tightened his grip, his only link to Shiro, and marched out of the room.

  
Everyone was waiting for him outside the lion. Judging by the looks on their faces, Hunk and Lance hadn't said anything when they left, leaving him to break the news.

  
"Shiro's missing." Keith said without preamble, his expression carefully neutral. The response what just about what he expected.

  
"WHAT?!" Coran screeched as he flung his arms out. "He can't just be missing! We just jumped through a wormhole! Did we leave him on the other side? How did his lion get here without him?"

  
"Shiro can't, Shiro can't just be missing," Pidge said cautiously, disbelief written plainly on her face. "We grabbed his lion. You and me," She gestured between them, her expression deteriorating as she tried to reason through the possibilities. "We didn't just leave him! He's gotta be here! He's...maybe he's still in the lion somewhere!" She stumbled towards him, her eyes still locked with his own. He gently grabbed her arms when she tried to step around him, and pulled her struggling body into a hug.

  
"Let me go!" She shouted. "Let me go! We have to find him! We have to find Shiro!" She thrashed in his grip, her shouts broken as her voice cracked.

  
"It's okay, Pidge. It's okay," He reassured gently, tightening his hold as she weakly pounded his sides. "We'll figure this out. We'll find him." She suddenly went limp, her small frame shaking with sobs as she buried her face in Keith's chest. He adjusted his grip, wrapping his arms around her with all the reassurance he could find, hoping that it would be enough. He had been selfish all this time. When he had lost Shiro, she had lost her brother and her father. He got Shiro back. Every moment he had spent with Shiro was one moment Pidge had been reminded that her family was still missing. He dropped his head, trying to convey his understanding to her.

  
"What do we do?" Allura's whisper seemed magnified through the massive hangar, pulling Keith's attention. As their eyes met, she spoke again. "What about Voltron?"

  
Keith felt a hot surge of anger race through him at her words, and he tightened his grip on Pidge before he forced himself to calm down.

  
"We'll have to manage for now," He answered steadily. "Zarkon will be out of commission for a while, and I doubt the rest of the Galra will want to act without knowing if their leader is alive or dead." He met her gaze steadily, his eyes hard even as he rubbed Pidge's back soothingly as she quieted.

  
"Right, of course," Allura stuttered, shaking herself out of her daze. "We'll need to do whatever we can to find Shiro quickly." She eyed Keith a moment longer before turning to Coran. "See if you can set up a search for the paladin suit or bayard. If he's not too far away, we should be able to pick up his signal."

  
"Just so everyone is aware," A voice chirped, causing Pidge, and consequently Keith, to jump in surprise. "There is a 0.45 percent chance of finding the Black Paladin through the specified methods!" Slav poked his head out from behind Coran, his hands clenched tightly over his chest.

  
"But Keith has his bayard." Hunk chimed in, pointing to the weapon still clutched in Keith's hand.

  
"AH! That factor drops the chances from desolate to an absolutely destitute 0.23 percent chance across the multiverse of possibilities!" He cried, his eyes streaming with tears.

  
"You're not helping!" Lance yelled furiously, pointing a finger menacingly at the alien.

  
"How is knowing the probability of success not helpful for deciding how to execute your next plan of action?" Slav continued woefully.

  
Allura ignored the exchange, her eyes locked on the black bayard. "How- Where did you get that?"

  
"It was in the lion, in the bayard lock slot." Keith answered.

  
"Why would Shiro leave it behind?" Allura wondered softly, as if talking to herself.

  
Behind her, Slav and Lance continued to bicker, their argument growing in volume and absurdity as Coran chimed in on every other statement. Hunk watched them anxiously, his eyes darting between them like it was a tennis match. The noise blended together as it bounced through the hanger, punctuated by Allura's comments and attempts to stop the arguing. Keith could feel a headache growing with each word until he reached the end of his rope.

  
"Enough!" He barked, silencing the group as they stared at him in shock. "We're wasting time. Coran, get that search up and running. Even if it's a basic sweep, it's better than nothing. Slav, you will help; whatever the probability, there is still a chance. Allura, do what you need to to keep the castle hidden in this sector until we can do a full-fledged search in the morning. Everyone else, get some sleep."

  
"With Pidge's help-"

  
"We have just been through a massive battle and we are going to bed." Keith cut Coran off firmly. "She can help you in the morning, after she's had some rest. We'll all be of more help."

  
Coran fidgeted for a moment as he replied. "Right, of course. Best for everyone to be in tip top shape!" He grabbed Slav and marched out of the hanger.

  
"Keith-"

  
"We'll talk in the morning, Princess." Keith nudged Pidge gently, smiling down at her tear-stained face. "Let's get you to bed."

  
Pidge let go slowly and stepped back, wiping her face as a blush crept over her cheeks.

"Sorry, I'm not usually like that." She croaked.

  
"Don't worry about it." Keith reassured. He steered her towards the remaining paladins, catching Lance's eyes as they approached. Lance nodded in understanding and took his place when Keith stepped back. Hunk fell in step on Pidge's other side and slung an arm around her shoulders.

  
As they disappeared down the hall, Keith could hear the echoes of Pidge's weak protests. "I don't need an escort, guys."

  
"Yeah, but I need something to prop me up or I'm not gonna make it to my bunk." Lance replied lazily.

  
Her response was cut off as the door slid shut behind them.

  
Keith moved to follow when he was stopped by a hand on his arm.

  
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," Allura said softly. She studied his profile, continuing when he refused look at her. "I did not mean to place Voltron above Shiro. I do care about him, about all of you. I'll do everything in my power to find him."

  
"Thank you, Princess. Good night." He stepped out of her grip, carefully placing one foot in front of the other. He wanted nothing more than to run from the room, sprint to Shiro's bunk, just to make sure, even though he knew it would be fruitless.He walked the halls on autopilot, far too focused on keeping himself together to care about his destination. He stepped through the last door without looking up, and waited until it had slid shut before he leaned back against the cool metal with a sigh. He glanced around the room, scoffing when he realized his legs had betrayed him.

  
Slowly, he pushed himself off the door and walked across the floor. He carefully laid Shiro's bayard on the bed, and shed his armor, his eyes focused on the unpowered weapon. Undressed, he crawled into the unfamiliar bed, wrapped his body tightly around a weapon that wasn't his, and wept for a man who wasn't there.

 

* * *

 

 

Keith woke the next morning sore and confused. He rolled on his side, grunting in annoyance as his arm smacked a wall instead of the expectant open space.

Something was digging into his hip, and he rolled the opposite direction, nearly falling off the bed in his dazed state. As he stumbled to his feet, he remembered why everything seemed backwards to his fuzzy mind. This wasn't his room, and that wasn't his bayard.

  
A wave of grief grew in his chest, but he was too tired to express the feeling. Noting the time, he gathered his discarded armor and the bayard and began the trek back to his own room. He wasn't in any rush; it was way too early for anyone to be awake to see him.

  
He stepped inside his room and carelessly deposited his armor on the floor, shuffling to his bed. He laid the bayard down carefully, then began his morning ritual, mindlessly completing his routine. Freshly washed, scrubbed, and clothed, Keith wandered to the dining hall, vaguely wondering the possibilities of seeing another soul at this god-forsaken hour.

  
To his surprise, shown only by a slow and tired blink, Hunk was up and was vigorously stirring a bowl of the ever present green goo.

  
Keith shuffled to his seat, sitting down silently as he watched the yellow paladin manipulate the goo, stopping on occasion to swipe a finger through the mixture to taste, before reaching for one of the unfamiliar food stuffs strewn across the table. Keith took the time to study the young man, noting the bags under his eyes, the way he bit his bottom lip as he considered how to improve his mixture, even the slight bobbing of his head as he stirred, as if he was counting the number of rotations before he conducted another taste test.

  
Hunk paused suddenly, his lips drawn to the side as he frowned at the table, his eyes darting over his collection. He set the bowl down as he reached for what looked like a bright blue tomato, but the odd fruit slipped out of his grip and rolled across the table to Keith.

  
Keith stopped the fruit, snatching it off the table before it could fall. Without warning, Hunk let out a screech, causing Keith to jump violently in his seat, clenching his hands in surprise.

  
"What the quiznak, Hunk?!" Keith snapped in response. He peered down at the blue mess with disgust as it slipped through his fingers onto the table.

  
"Holy crap, my heart feels like it's going to beat its way out of my chest. Don't do that, man!" Hunk whined, rubbing his chest with a shaky hand.

  
"Do what?" Keith replied in annoyance.

  
"That ninja-y thing. Ya know? Sneaking up on people, giving them heart attacks as they try to make a semi-edible meal? That sorta thing?" Hunk picked up his bowl of goo and brought it around the table to Keith. He nudged the annoyed boy aside and scooped the remains of the fruit into the bowl.

  
"Is that even sanitary?" Keith questioned as Hunk returned to his post. He reached for the Altean version of napkins in the center of the table and wiped his hand clean, wondering absently if the fruit would stain his skin.

  
"I scrubbed the table down earlier cuz I knew I would be cooking here. Well, not cooking there, per se, but there's no sense in cleaning only half the table when everyone else is going to use it too. So, the table is clean. Have you washed your hands recently?"

  
"I just got out of the shower." Keith grumbled.

  
"Great! So nothing to worry about," Hunk replied brightly. He tucked the bowl under his arm again and resumed his rigourous stirring. The goo mixture slowly changed color from a green and blue tie dye experiment to a bluish aquamarine.

  
Hunk set the bowl down and swiped a finger through the mix, inspecting the blob. "If nothing else, at least it's pretty."

  
Keith had to agree with the sentiment, watching as Hunk popped the sample into his mouth.

  
After a brief moment of chewing, Hunk's face split into a smile. "I hereby deem it edible! Ranked only slightly above its green counterpart."

  
Keith shook his head at Hunk's antics, accepting a bowl of the concoction. He sniffed it cautiously, then took a bite of the new goo. His eyes widened in surprise as the flavor triggered a memory of Earth.

  
"This almost tastes like scrambled eggs," He said in amazement, taking another bite to be sure. "This is amazing, Hunk."

  
"Aw, it's nothing like that," Hunk said, brushing off the compliment.

  
"Hunk, seriously," Keith locked eyes with the startled cook. "This is great. Thank you." He stated sincerely, waiting until Hunk accepted the compliment before digging in.

  
Hunk sat silently at the end of the table, his expression thoughtful as he watched Keith eat.

  
Noticing his companion's silence, Keith looked up, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

  
Hunk shifted in his seat, leaning on his elbow as he dropped his head in his hand, his eyes never leaving the red paladin. "You've never said that before."

  
"Said what?"

  
"Thank you. You've never thanked me for cooking before."

  
Keith paused as he thought back through every meal Hunk had served, his expression sinking as he realized the truth of Hunk's statement. "I didn't realize." He trailed off, looking apologetically at the larger boy. "Sorry, I've been a jerk."

  
To his surprise, Hunk snorted and smiled fondly at him. "You weren't being a jerk. You're only just now coming out of your shell."

  
Keith wasn't sure how to respond to his statement, so he turned back to his bowl, trying to ignore the burning in his cheeks.

  
They sat in silence as Keith finished his food. He dropped his spoon into the bowl and moved to rise, prompting Hunk to do the same.

  
"Oh, before you go, do you mind taking a bowl to Pidge?" Hunk asked as he gathered the extra ingredients.

  
"Sure, but is she even awake? It's pretty early." Keith picked up his dishes and grabbed the large bowl of goo as he headed into the kitchen.

  
Hunk scooped the collection into his arms and followed the smaller pilot. "Oh yeah, she's always up super early, even earlier than me. She usually grabs a bowl of goo and takes it with her to wherever she's working."

He dropped the items on the counter, then turned and opened a cabinet to grab another bowl. "She didn't stop by this morning, which means she's too caught up in her work to stop and eat."

  
Keith set the bowl of goo on the counter and dropped his bowl on the conveyor belt that would take it through the Altean dishwasher. "How do you know she didn't eat when she's up earlier than you?"

  
"Oh easy! I programmed the goo machines to record who uses them, when they're used, and what they get." Hunk said simply. "It's actually kinda cool to see everyone's eating patterns. Though I did notice that almost everyone is up at some point at night. I don't get it; when my head hits the pillow, I am out!"

  
Keith blinked at him, almost completely unsurprised that everyone on the ship had some form of insomnia. "Why would you do that?"

"So I can see what kind of goo everyone gets. Since you guys have a tendency to wander around at random, and frankly, ungodly hours, I wanted to make sure I had enough of your favorites ready to eat on demand."

Hunk handed Pidge's bowl to him. Keith noted it was covered in the alien version of plastic wrap, which was actually rather mundane. Maybe it was just plastic.

  
"That's really kind of you," Keith answered slowly. "I never thought about-"

  
Hunk cut him off with a laugh, his whole body shaking. "Two compliments in one day? Something is definitely up."

  
Keith opened his mouth but Hunk waved his hand. "Better get that to Pidge before it gets cold."

 

* * *

 

 

Keith was halfway out the door before he thought to ask about Pidge's location.  _The hanger would be my guess!_

  
He paused just inside the hangar doors, debating his next move. 'Maybe I'll just stop by Black first.' He hesitated, feeling a bit guilty that he was prioritizing a visit to the lion before finding Pidge. It was just the first place to check, he assured himself, and set off.

  
To his surprise, he found Pidge seated on the floor at the base of the lion, which was now resting in its normal seated position instead of sprawled on the floor. She was surrounded by a collection of computers and gadgets, typing furiously on the laptop sitting on her crossed legs. He walked up behind her, peering over her shoulder at the screen. A wall of numbers punctuated by twitching graphs covered the screen, all of it meaningless to the red paladin.

  
When she didn't look up, he cleared his throat, announcing his presence.

  
Pidge jerked with a shout, grabbing wildly for the computer as it bounced off her lap. "What the heck Keith! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She glared at him as he sat beside her with a short chuckle. Instead of answering, he held out the bowl for Pidge. She narrowed her eyes and snatched up the peace offering, producing a spoon from who knows where as she ripped off the plastic and dug in.

  
Her eyes opened comically wide, glancing between Keith and the goo. "This tastes like scrambled eggs!" She exclaimed around her food.

  
"Gross, Pidge," Keith blanched. "Didn't anyone tell you not to talk with your mouth full?"

  
She gulped down her mouthful and tried again. "Have you tried this?"

  
"Better, and yes, I did."

  
She shoveled the rest in quickly then set the empty bowl to the side, pulling her laptop back onto her legs.

  
"What are you working on?" Keith prompted as she began to type.

  
"I'm running a system check and analysis on Black to see if I can locate any anomalies in her coding. I'm also running a scan on her backup memory and recording devices, kind of like the black boxes on airplanes, to see if anything pops up there."

  
Keith leaned back on his hands and looked up at the silent lion. "Did you move her?"

  
Pidge shook her head without looking up. "I ran a quick diagnostic when I got here this morning and did some basic repairs while she was down. When I hopped out to set this up, she got up on her own. Scared the shit outta me." Pidge quirked a grin at the memory.

  
"But nothing sense?"

  
"Nothing," Pidge replied somberly.

  
The pair lapsed into silence as she worked. Keith seemed content to sit and stare at the lion, lost in his own thoughts. He didn't notice when Pidge stopped typing, staring at the screen instead.

  
"I'm not some damsel in distress," She declared suddenly, startling Keith to look at her in confusion.

  
"What?"

  
"I'm not some weak little girl who needs saving or anything like that." She clarified, eyes fixed forward, refusing to look at him.

  
Keith furrowed his brow as his confusion increased. "What are you talking about?"

  
He watched as her cheeks tinted pink behind her glasses. "About yesterday, with the... hug and... cryi- Look I don't cry!" She defiantly met his stare, daring him to comment.

  
"I know," He answered in bewilderment, leaning forward as he turned toward her. "What's the problem?"

  
She blinked, caught off balance by his indifference. "You don't think," She cut herself off, biting her lip a moment before pressing on. "You don't think I'm a crybaby?"

  
"Why would I think that?"

  
Pidge huffed in annoyance. "Because I freaken bawled yesterday, you moron!"

  
Keith frowned at her remark. "Yeah, and that matters why?" He answered, matching her tone. "You were upset. Hell, everyone was upset, is still upset. So what if you cried? Shiro-" He stumbled as his chest constricted. "Shiro means a lot to all of us. What matters is that you're sitting here doing something about it."

  
Pidge stared as he fell silent, settling back on his hands again. "You've lost more than any one of us, Allura and Coran aside. You're still looking for your brother and father, and Shiro was your only link to them. And now he's gone again." Keith said quietly, now refusing to look at her.

  
"You lost him too. Twice." Pidge stated softly. Keith grimaced as the constriction tightened, threatening to cut off his breath. "I don't know which is worse."

  
They lapsed back into silence, the mood considerably more somber. Pidge resumed typing, pausing every now and then to make an adjustment on one of her machines.

  
Keith felt his mind drift back to the time he had piloted the black lion. As he studied the silent machine, he replayed the memory, remembering the desperate scramble to reach Shiro, the plea for understanding from Black, and the relief when she had allowed him entry. He held the memory tightly, savoring each emotion dredged up in the process.

  
She had been a joy to pilot, however briefly. Even without being her paladin, they had shared a goal and an understanding that had allowed them to work seamlessly as a unit.  
Maybe those same feelings would awaken her again.

  
"You don't have to sit here," Pidge broke through his thoughts. She was still buried in her work, but she spared him a glance when he didn't reply. "I tweaked Coran's search before I came here. You could see if anything has popped up yet."

  
"Already sick of my company?" Keith quipped as he stood. He stretched his stiffening muscles, briefly regretting his lack of movement when his sore muscles protested.

  
"No offense or anything. I just work better when I'm alone."

  
"Fair enough," Keith shrugged and trekked back across the hanger.

  
"Keith!" He turned back to Pidge, snatching a projectile out of the air before it collided with his face. He glanced down at the bowl in his hand before arching an eyebrow at her. She was twisted around, holding her laptop steady as she watched him. "Thank you."

  
He scoffed and shook his head, waving the bowl at her as he turned and left the hanger.

 

* * *

 

 

After a quick stop in the kitchen, Keith walked slowly down the hall as he made his way to the control room. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice the presence of another until he almost walked into them.

  
"Oh, Kolivan," Keith stepped back with start.

  
"Ah, Keith, I was looking for you. I have come to inform you I will be returning to the Blade of Marmora." The galra stared down at the paladin, his face impassive.

  
Keith scoffed bitterly. "Of course, now that Zarkon is defeated there's no reason for you to stick around."

  
Kolivan studied him a moment before answering. "I wanted to commend you on your bravery, and to congratulate you on your success inside the ship."

  
"Yeah, well, Thace did most of the work."

Keith crossed his arms and looked away, scowling at the wall.

  
"Thace was a brave soldier who dedicated his life to the cause. His passing will be deeply mourned, but we will remember him, with honor."

  
After a moment, Keith glanced around the pair. "Where is Antok? Did he leave already?"

  
"Antok lost his life fighting the druids. We will remember his life, with honor." Kolivan replied evenly.

  
"I'm sorry. You've lost three fighters since allying with us." Keith apologized, tightening his hold on his arms.

  
"Ah, yes, Ulaz. His loss was most unfortunate."

  
Keith snapped his eyes to the tall galra angrily. "Unfortunate? He sacrificed his life to save us and make sure we would be able to find you. Without him, we would never have gotten the chance to fight Zarkon at all."

  
"You share your leader's opinion." Kolivan stated mildly.

  
“I share the right opinion. He will be remembered with honor, if only by us." Keith replied fiercely.

  
"I must say I regret speaking so harshly of his actions. You are correct in speaking of his pivotal role. We will remember him, with honor." The Blade inclined his head in acknowledgment, causing Keith to blink in surprise. "We will sorely miss the presence of Shiro. His bravery is to be commended."

  
"Don't talk about him like he's dead! He's missing, and we will find him." Keith snapped as he balled his hands into fists at his sides.

  
"Of course, and we will also do our part in the search. Should we find anything, we will inform you immediately. My knowledge of humans is rather limited, but in my time with you and your companions, I have learned you are quite a resilient race."

  
"Thank you," Keith answered, unsure of how to take the compliment. "Any help would be great."

  
"The loss of your leader and pilot of Voltron is concerning. I expect you will lead them in his absence." Kolivan tipped his head curiously.

  
"What? What makes you say that? Allura’s in charge." Keith's scowl returned quickly as he scoffed.

  
"Perhaps, but there is great potential in you."

  
"I don't understand why everyone keeps saying that." The paladin grumbled.

  
"Your self doubt clouds your judgement. I admit I see myself in you."

  
Keith only raised an eyebrow in question.

  
"I too was once reckless and angry. I expect the source of that anger is different for you, but mine was born of arrogance. I believed myself better and more capable than my peers, and resented being told otherwise. Unfortunately, it took a mistake on the battlefield to open my eyes to my shortcomings." Kolivan's gaze turned thoughtful as he studied the smaller man.  
"With a firm hand, discipline, and training, you could be great. Learn to hone your rage into a blade you can wield, and you will be a force to be reckoned. Learn to wield that blade with skill, and you will be unstoppable." The Galra intoned wisely, his yellow eyes locked with Keith's own.

  
"You give me too much credit." Keith stumbled.

  
"Clear your mind of doubt, and believe in your own abilities. Remember, you are a Blade of Marmora, and a Paladin of Voltron. You are worthy of more than you know." Kolivan declared firmly, locking his arms over his chest.

  
"Thank you." Keith breathed, overwhelmed by the unexpected support.

  
"Remember, the Blade of Marmora is with you." With those final words, Kolivan nodded to the stunned paladin, and disappeared down the hall.

 

* * *

 

  
Keith made the rest of the trip in a daze. He continuously turned his conversation with the Blade’s leader in his head, wondering what prompted the normally quiet Galra to speak. He stepped through the double doors on autopilot, only returning his attention when he heard his name.

  
“There’s no point in updating him right now,” Coran spoke over his shoulder from his post at the main controls. “Nothing's come up, even with Pidge's modifications.”

  
“Maybe I would want to know that,” Keith replied.

  
Coran jumped with surprise, his moustache twitching randomly.

  
“Finally decided to join us, Wonder Boy?” Lance taunted. He tossed a lazy wave at Keith’s glare from his console chair.

  
“He’s been up longer than you,” Hunk corrected from his seat.

  
“But I've been here longer,” Lance replied lazily.

  
“Keith, I'm glad you're here.” Allura stepped forward, drawing Keith's attention. “We need to discuss our next course of action.”

  
“About what? We’re already looking for Shiro. Aside from figuring out where to search next, what’s there to discuss?” Keith questioned flatly.

  
“I sent word to Pidge to join us, but she said she was working on something too important to leave.”

  
“What do we need to discuss, Allura?” Keith repeated, his tone considerably more harsh.

  
“I would much rather have this conversation with Pidge here as well,” Allura began.

  
“Tough, we’re having it now.” Keith interrupted, frown firmly in place.

  
“Keith, I know it’s difficult right now, but we need to have a plan. We cannot continue with only four paladins.”

  
“Are you suggesting you take Shiro’s place?” Keith's frown turned into a full-fledged scowl.

  
“I’m not asking to take his place. I’m asking to fill in until we can find him.” Allura crossed her arms over her chest. “We have to be ready in the event we need Voltron.”

  
“Wait, aren't you the only one who can make wormholes? How are we supposed to make our quick escapes if you're out there flying a lion?” Hunk pointed out.

  
“That's a risk we’re going to have to take.”

  
“What if Black doesn't accept you?” Keith asked pointedly.

  
“Then I don't know, Keith,” Allura replied angrily. “I don't know, but at least I'm trying to come up with something. You may want to run off and lead a single minded search for Shiro, but we have other priorities that need to be addressed as well.” She inhaled deeply as she schooled her features. “We still have a responsibility as the Paladins of Voltron to continue our fight against the Galra Empire.”

  
She held up a hand as Keith opened his mouth. “I am not suggesting we run straight into another battle, I am merely saying that we cannot let our duties fall by the wayside.”

  
“What about asking the Balmera for help? And the Olkari? They can send word out, or keep an eye out for him.” Lance suggested.

  
“I believe caution would be our best option for now. Even though the Galra are crippled, if they get word that we are missing a paladin, they will surely hunt us down.” Allura shook her head. “We are far more vulnerable than we’ve ever been.”

  
“Then don't tell them it's Shiro. Give them some story about having to find a particular ally as quickly as possible and voila! Problem solved. We’ll have way more people looking for this ‘ally’, and our secret is safe.” Lance leaned back in his seat, tucking his hands behind his head.

  
“And what do we tell them about our ‘ally’?” Keith shot at Lance. “Who are they looking for? What does he look like? How will Shiro even know we’re looking for him if we’re using code words and secret messages?”

  
“Dude, chill, I don't know. Like Allura said, I'm throwing suggestions out there, instead of moping around like some snobby kid who lost his favorite toy!” Lance surged to his feet, taking a menacing step towards the red paladin.

  
“What did you call me?” Keith matched the step, facing off against the blue paladin.

  
“Lance! Keith! That's enough!” Allura stepped between them, putting a hand against each chest. They continued to scowl at each other, their stances tense with anger.

  
“Guys, really, we don't need this. Can we please just take a breath, back up, and think this over?” Hunk pleaded nervously as he stood in front of his chair.

  
"Guys! I may have found something!" Pidge bellowed as she came running through the door, breaking the tension in the room. She skidded to a halt next to Coran and set her computer in the middle of his console, opening the top to begin typing.

  
"Those are delicate instruments," Coran moaned as he leaned over her shoulder, eyeing the readout as it scrolled across the screen.

  
"I'll fix it later. This is what I wanted to show you," Pidge leaned back, giving Coran room to scan the now stationary text.

  
"Well everything looks fine to me," He pulled on his moustache as he tipped his head.

  
"That's what I thought too, but if you superimpose this readout over the ship's crystal generator readings, you get this." Pidge clicked twice, changing the text readout to a collection of numbers and graphs.

  
Coran's eyes widened as his mouth dropped open. He leaned close to the screen, squinting as he studied the readouts.

"Princess, you have got to look at this!"

  
Allura broke from the group and leaned over Pidge's other shoulder, one hand braced on the console. She was silent as she looked over the graphs, her face pulled in a frown.

"It's not possible..."

  
"Do you know what this means,Princess?" Coran jumped back and waved his arms excitedly.

  
"Don't leave us in suspense," Lance broke in. "Let the cool kids into the party too."

  
"What did you find?" Keith asked firmly, his stance rigid as he crossed his arms.

  
"An anomaly," Pidge answered with a grin.

  
"As in?" Lance prodded.

  
"A way to find Shiro," Keith finished, clenching his arms tightly, fighting to control the hope that swelled in his chest.

  
"Exactly." Pidge confirmed.

  
"Pidge, are these readings accurate?" Allura questioned, looking down at the paladin.

  
"Of course, pulled bit by bit from the lion's computer." Pidge arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

  
"Because this shouldn't be possible."

  
"You said that before," Hunk pointed out. "Considering we, as a group, are actively checking off items on the very long list of 'Not Possible', I think whatever you may have found could very well be possible."

  
Allura turned to the paladins, her face pinched as if in pain. "I understand that, but this reading..."

  
"Just, explain from the beginning. What does it show?" Keith demanded, his frown deepening.

  
"The reading is nearly identical to the castle's calibrations when it jumps through a wormhole." Coran answered. "Basically, this proves that a wormhole was opened inside the black lion's cockpit."

  
"You mean someone opened a wormhole and pulled Shiro through? Like plucked him out of his seat from inside a moving lion?" Lance asked incredulously.

  
"Who else can create a wormhole?" Keith questioned, eyes fixed on Coran.

  
"Well, um, now, that's where the impossibility comes into play," He responded as he fidgeted. "You see, wormhole technology is something unique to Altean society. As far as we're aware, no one else has the ability to create them, certainly not with the skill needed to perform such a delicate operation."

  
"But you said you two are the only Alteans left," Hunk pointed out, glancing between the two in question.

  
"So the question then becomes who could create a wormhole that is nearly identical to our own?" Allura stated quietly. She paused, then turned to Coran. "Perhaps we should entertain the idea that other Alteans may have survived."

  
Coran looked pained, his fidgeting increasing as he answered her. "I don't want to be the sorry sob about this, but... Ten thousand years, Princess? How many could have survived? And even if they had, would they still be considered Altean?"

 

"They would have to be. Some part of them has retained enough of the Altean heritage to create, with great skill, a wormhole with the exact specifications that I can with the Castle of Lions." Allura declared. "We must find them. If we find them, we will find Shiro."


	2. Chapter 2

From his seat on the bridge, he could see the procession that had gathered for his arrival. It paled in comparison to what he deemed appropriate for his position, but considering the chaotic state of affairs, it was better than nothing. He couldn't help but sneer at the hunched figure who stood in front of the regiment of soldiers. Her solitary presence confirmed a rather delightful rumor that had recently rippled through the ranks. She was far less impressive without her swarm of druids standing in her wings.

  
He stood as the ship landed, pausing to straighten his uniform. It had been years since he had last stepped foot on the main ship of the Galra Empire. He had to make a good first impression.

  
"My Lord, everything is ready."

  
He brushed past the attendant and strode out of the room, his condescending smirk firmly in place. The situation must be grave indeed for him to be summoned.

  
"Prince Lotor, welcome home." Haggar bowed low as he descended the ship's ramp.

  
"I see your tongue didn't burn from your mouth when you requested my presence." Lotor taunted. "What could possibly be so important that you would summon me from my sanctuary?"

  
Haggar's face pinched with disdain, but she inclined her head as she stepped aside. "I will explain the situation along the way. If you would please follow me."

  
The prince fell in step with the witch as she led him into the ship. He took the time to note the abundance of activity, confirming his suspicions when he had laid eyes on the massive ship.

  
"It seems you have recently lost a battle," Lotor remarked casually, gauging the witch's reaction out of the corner of his eye. He smirked internally when she stiffened at his words.

  
"Our enemies merely caught us off guard. It will not happen again."

  
"No, I don't suppose it will, if things take a turn for the worse." Haggar glanced sharply at him, then turned down another corridor, leading him down a familiar hall.

  
"I hope you didn't bring me here to show off one of your creations, witch." Lotor sneered, waiting as she keyed in her code for the door.

  
She didn't answer, sweeping inside the moment the doors opened. She ignored the gathered druids and approached cryogenic pod in the center of the room, stopping to lean over its control panel.

  
Lotor followed her slowly as his eyes darted over the macabre collection of medical equipment. The air was thick with their strange miasma, and he held back the urge to clear his throat as he struggled to adjust. He hated the mysterious magic of the druids, and disliked being forced into their domain so soon after his arrival.

  
"Your father has been gravely injured, my prince." Haggar spoke without turning. The prince frowned and approached the pod. Inside, the Emperor floated motionless in the clear healing liquid under the watchful eyes of the druids. It was slightly eerie seeing his massive form so still.

  
"How did this happen?" Lotor questioned.

  
"Voltron has returned." Haggar answered plainly.

  
Lotor turned to her sharply, his eyes narrowed. "How is that possible when we have the Red Lion in our possession?"

  
"The lion was stolen from us, and the others were found soon after. Our attempts to destroy Voltron have failed, and we are now suffering the consequences." Haggar grimaced angrily.   
"I had been led to believe that all the Alteans are dead." Lotor sneered in return.

  
"King Alfor's daughter lives, and is now leading the paladins." So the rumors were true. He smirked internally as she ground out the words. It was rather sweet to watch her struggle to admit defeat.

  
"With our Emperor so severely wounded, he will be unable to lead the Galra Empire until he heals. You will have to rule in his stead."

  
Despite the gravity of her words, Lotor smirked at her obvious distaste. "Really? You trust me to rule the Galra?"

  
"It is the will of Emperor Zarkon. I will obey without question."

  
"Then who am I to disobey our Emperor's will?" Lotor mocked as he inclined his head to the disgusted druid. "Allow me to begin right away. There are a few issues that need to be addressed." He felt his smirk stretch into a grin as Haggar let her disdain show clearly on her face.

He turned and marched out of the druid's lair, expecting her to follow him like the obedient dog she was. He didn't slow or look back until he reached the throne room, privately marveling at its dark presence. His eyes locked on the impressive throne and he concealed his excitement as he ascended the steps. He took a moment to savor the satisfaction of finally obtaining what was rightfully his, and sighed contently as he settled into the coveted seat.

  
Zarkon's advisors and servants stood around the room, watching his warily as he leaned back with a smirk. He eyed them casually as he flipped his hair over his shoulder, reveling in their obvious discomfort.

  
"You," He said suddenly, fixing his eyes on a servant. The galra immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "Bring my council to me."

  
"Yes, m'lord." He rose swiftly and ran from the room.

  
"My lord," Haggar began in a silky voice. "Surely your father's advisors would be enough to assist you. There is no need to delay by bringing such inexperienced substitutes."

  
"Is that so? From where I stand, it seems my father is in this position precisely because of his advisors." He answered pointedly. "Perhaps it would be wise to start with a fresh set of ideas."

  
Haggar grimaced and fell silent. The servant returned with a bow, announcing the arrival of his council.

  
"Welcome to your new home," Lotor greeted the newcomers with a smirk. "It seems my father has left me quite the mess to clean up."

  
He turned then to Haggar, clearly enjoying her unease. "And speaking of my father, I am curious as to how exactly he ended up in this situation. I find it hard to believe he would be caught so unprepared for an attack from an enemy he had been fighting for so long."

  
"It seems your father's dedication in retrieving the Black Lion may have clouded his judgement," Haggar said carefully. "We were caught unaware in our enemy's trap."

  
"You mean to say my father's obsession turned him into a blind fool." Lotor spat venomously. "His crusade to claim the Black Lion led our fleet into a fight they could have otherwise easily won. Even with the help of your druids, my father was still readily defeated by a group of inexperience weaklings."

  
Haggar's face morphed into a mask of rage as he spoke. "My Lord-"

  
"Did you know my father promised the Red Lion to me? Once he had reclaimed the Black Lion, the Red would become my own. Now, because of his narrow-minded obsession, he lays on the brink of death and all the lions are beyond our reach." Lotor matched her expression, his eyes boring into her own. "Things will be different now. My father favored a straightforward approach. I prefer more... subtle means."

  
Lotor suddenly leaned forward, holding the druid's stare. "While we're on the subject of subtle, it seems that you allowed a faction of traitors to repeatedly sabotaged my father's attempts to capture Voltron."

  
"My druids and I were able to identify the traitor and he has been dealt with." Haggar bit out furiously.

  
"Ah, but has the root of the problem been solved?" Lotor leaned back again, watching her with hooded eyes. "I have heard word of a faction of traitors. How do you know there are no others on this ship?"

  
Haggar inhaled sharply before speaking. "If there are any more traitors, my druids and I will find them and bring them to heel. I can assure you, my lord, there is nothing to fear of this annoyance."

  
"And yet they have evaded you so easily." Lotor tossed back.

  
He waved a hand as she opened her mouth to protest, cutting her off easily. "Do you know where Voltron is now?"

  
Haggar scowled and grit her teeth. "No, m'lord."

  
Lotor hummed as he perched his elbow on the armrest, setting his chin on his fist. "How did you track them before, if at all?"

  
"Emperor Zarkon used his connection to the Black Lion to locate the paladins."

  
"Since our dear Emperor is now incapable of completing this task, how will you find them now?" Lotor asked casually, his expression a mask of indifference.

  
"My druids and I have been working on a method-"

  
"Ah yes, your druids," Lotor drawled. "I've heard some rather unflattering rumors concerning the extent of their abilities. It seems they are unable to perform even the simplest interrogation, so forgive me if I doubt their capacity." By now Lotor could detect the shaking in her hands as she tried to hold her anger in check. He basked in her ill concealed fury a moment before he continued.

  
"Perhaps there is something you can clarify for me. The ship that houses the lions is the fabled Altean Castle of Lions, correct?" He waited until she acknowledged his statement. "How does one power an Altean ship?"

  
"King Alfor's daughter uses their ancient technology, which relies upon Balmeran Crystals." Hagger answered evenly.

  
"From my understanding, these crystals become imprinted with a ship's signature upon use, rendering them useless to any would be thieves."

  
Haggar narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Correct, m'lord."

  
Lotor's face split into a wicked grin. "Excellent. Turok!"

  
One of the new Galra advisors stepped forward, bowing at the waist. "My lord?"

  
"Send word to my Watchers. They are to locate the Altean Castle of Lions, gain entry, and retrieve a piece of the Balmeran Crystal that powers the ship. I want to be alerted when the ship is found and immediately upon completion of the mission."

  
"Of course, my lord."

  
"Under no circumstances are they to engage the paladins or lions. They are there strictly to retrieve the crystal. Am I understood?" Lotor intoned firmly.

  
"Yes, my lord. I'll send the word at once." Turok bowed again and left quickly.

  
Haggar had watched the exchange quietly, her brows set in a deep frown. "Sire, what use would we have of an imprinted crystal?"

  
Lotor chuckled darkly, clearly relishing her confusion. "Haggar, for all your supposed wisdom, you are surprisingly short sighted."

 

* * *

 

  
He came awake slowly, cataloging the aches and pains of his body as his mind worked its way out of a fog. The surface he was laying on was soft and while it wasn't unwelcome, it was somehow wrong. He could hear muffled voices nearby, but couldn't place who was speaking. He frowned slightly as he tried to focus on the uneasy feeling; he was comfortable and as far as he could tell, safe, so why was he on edge? A burst of clarity cleared his mind, and with a surge, he rose and activated his arm, glancing quickly around the room.

  
Twin screams ripped through the quiet scene. As his eyes focused, he saw two occupants looking at him in horror, gripping each other tightly. He blinked in surprise, believing the strangers to be Allura and Coran, but upon closer inspection he began to notice slight differences.

  
"Who are you?" Shiro croaked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

  
"Holy quiznak, I think you scared the color out of my hair." The man exclaimed, stepping out of the woman's grip to grab his shoulder length hair. "A little warning would be nice."

  
"Who are you? Where am I?" He asked again with more force.

  
"Just calm down a moment, you're not in any danger." Shiro turned his attention to the young woman who held her hand out in front of her. "My name is Anduran. This is my companion, Bartune. We've been looking after you since you've arrived."

  
"Arrived? How did I get here? Where is the rest of my team?" He slid off the side of his bed, putting it between him and his keepers.

  
"If you would please put your weapon away, I will gladly explain everything." Anduran spoke in a soothing, melodic voice. He realized suddenly why he had mistaken the pair for his friends.

  
"You're Altean." Shiro said breathlessly.

  
The two aliens froze, their eyes as wide with shock. "How do you... How do you know our race?" Anduran whispered, her eyes suddenly bright.

  
He hesitated, debating the wisdom of revealing information to the two strangers. On the one hand, they were considerably more accommodating than his last alien abduction, but it was possible he was being lulled into a false sense of security. But there was the nagging fact that he felt no ill intent from them, accented by the features they shared with his missing friends, from the facial markings and pointed ears to their melodic accent.

  
"I've been traveling with two Alteans," Shiro answered carefully, gauging their reactions.

  
"It's true then," Anduran trailed off, her eyes brimming with tears. She turned quickly to her companion, grasping his hands as she spoke. "It's true! She has awakened!"

  
Bartune shook his head slowly, disbelief written across his face. "But the stories never mention two." He was cut off when Anduran jumped into his arms, wrapping him tightly in a hug.

  
"We're saved! Bartune, can you believe, in our lifetime, we're saved!" She exclaimed happily against his neck, tears streaming down her face.

  
Shiro deactivated his arm and relaxed slightly, rising from his defensive crouch.

  
"What is going on in here? Can't you see you're in a sick bay!" A raspy voice yelled just as the door behind the happy pair opened, revealing a hunched woman with short grey hair. She glared at the two younger Alteans then turned her attention to Shiro.

  
"Oh, up and moving I see. About time. It's rude to keep our princess waiting."

  
Shiro blinked in bewilderment, unsure how he was the rude one in this situation.

  
"Well don't just stand there like a promiscuous sculpture! Our Lady awaits." The woman narrowed her dull blue eyes and turned to the door without waiting for his response.

  
"Promiscuous?" Shiro stammered, glancing at the equally bewildered Altean pair.

  
"Considering what you're wearing, not that I'm complaining, I think it's an appropriate assessment." The old Altean stepped through the door and turned down the hall, clearly expecting him to follow.

  
A quick glance at himself revealed that his armor had been removed, leaving him in the basic spacesuit. "Where-"

  
"You need to get going," Anduran suddenly spoke up. "Gigi won't wait for you, and if she has to come get you again, you'll never hear the end of it until you leave the planet or die, whichever comes first."

  
Shiro nodded to the pair and headed for the door. Just before he left, he stopped to address them. "I'm sorry I startled you earlier. Thank you for caring for me."

  
Anduran smiled as Bartune answered. "Think nothing of it. This is all a bit sudden, really. We'll meet again later."

  
He returned the smile and left. He glanced down the hall where Gigi had gone and glanced her turning around a corner a fair distance down the hall. 'She moves fast for an old lady.' He thought as he jogged quickly to catch up. He turned the corner and ground to a halt, nearly plowing into the waiting Altean.

  
She smirked at him in amusement and took off again without a word.

  
As Shiro followed behind, he took the time to study his new environment. The halls were roughly wide enough for four people to pass and made of smooth, solid stone, reminiscent of cave passages. The walls were painted bright white and lights had been placed at equal intervals down the halls, making the space feel open and spacious despite the confining material. At random points, the walls curved slightly outwards, shifting seamlessly to metal walls that housed a single door. The transition was so smooth he didn't notice the change until he had passed several instances. Between each strange door was a hall almost identical to the last, a random repeating series that Shiro could easily get lost in. On the wall at each corner, the Altean language labeled each intersection with arrows pointing to the corresponding text.

  
A quick glance down the halls showed snippets of multiple Alteans going about their work, though Shiro couldn't quite figure out what they were working on. A few Alteans passed them in the main hall, but he noted that none of them spoke to them, and almost all averted their gaze from him specifically. It was a rather curious reaction; he expected a few stares at least, but they seemed far more focused on ignoring his presence entirely.

  
"We're here," The old woman said suddenly, bringing them to a halt in front of a pair of large doors. Unlike every other door they had passed, these were covered in ornate carvings. Shiro realized with a start that he recognized the symbols, having seen them in the cave housing the Blue Lion on Earth, and again when he had accompanied Pidge to retrieve Green.

  
Gigi stepped forward and knocked twice on the door. She waited until she heard a muffled response, then back up as the large doors swung outwards. They waited until the doors came to a stop, then Gigi led them into the room, and Shiro couldn't help but stare.

  
It was a buried ship.

  
They were standing on a bridge, an almost exact replica of the Castle of Lions on a smaller scale. Everything he remembered was present, from the front control hub to the chair control hubs, though there were only three where the castle had five. The various large displays around the room were black, though Shiro couldn't tell if it was blocked by the surrounding rocks or powered down.

  
At the far end of the room, where Allura would control the ship, stood an entirely different woman, though she seemed to project the same aura.

  
"My Lady, I have brought the outsider." Gigi tugged Shiro forward until he was standing in the middle of the room. A young boy stood behind the chair to Shiro's right, his glare fixed on the paladin. Standing behind him stood a tall and imposing man who watched the proceedings with an impassive expression.

  
Suddenly remembering his manners, he bowed to the Altean woman.

  
"Thank you, Gigi." The woman's alto voice carried the same melodic accent as Allura. "Please rise, paladin, there is no need for formality."

  
Shiro straightened slowly, taking the time to study the princess. She was much darker than Allura, causing her gold facial markings to stand out brilliantly against her skin. Her eyes were shades of yellow and orange. She had long, straight golden hair, slicked back from her face to fall in a sleek line behind her, with two sections pulled over her shoulders, ending just below her elbows. She was wearing a dress similar to what Allura wore on occasion, but it was entirely white, standing out in stark contrast with her skin. Whereas Allura's was relatively modest, her dress was cut low just below her collarbones, then fell into a plunging neckline, creating a narrow triangle that ended just above where he assumed, were she human, her belly button would be. The daring cut displayed the gold markings that crossed her chest as rich accents.

  
"I am Romelle, Reagent Princess of the Altean People. This is my brother, Bandor." She waved a hand to her left, indicating the young boy. The prince scowled fiercely when Shiro looked at him, but the paladin inclined his head respectfully all the same. The boy shared the same features as his sister, though his eyes were prismatic blue and his hair was cut short and spiked.

  
"You have already met my advisor, Gigi," Romelle smiled fondly to the old woman as she settled into the vacant chair on the princess's right. "And last is my bodyguard, Marx."

  
Shiro nodded to the tall Altean, who respectfully nodded back. Romelle didn't seem like the kind of person who would need a bodyguard, if there was even a need for one on this isolated planet.

  
"My name is Shiro," He resisted the urge to fidget under her intense stare.

  
Romelle bowed her head respectfully. "It is an honor to finally meet a paladin of Voltron."

  
"With all due respect, Princess, where am I and how did I get here? Why am I here?" Shiro frowned.

  
The Princess settled into a neutral expression as she explained. "This is the planet Pollux. You came here through a wormhole I created."

  
"But I don't remember a wormhole," Shiro blurted out. "Princess," He added quickly.

  
"You were unconscious at the time; I had to pull you through."

  
Shiro blinked as tried to find the words to express his disbelief. "Why would you do something like that? I was in the middle of a battle! With Zarkon! What about the rest of my team?" He stopped short, his eyes falling to the floor as he thought back to the battle. The last thing he remembered was disabling the giant robeast Zarkon had piloted, the backblast causing Voltron to split back into the lions.

  
"Please allow me to explain my actions. I did not mean you or your team any harm." Romelle stated sincerely, though sharply. She watched Shiro carefully as Shiro met her eyes with a frown, but he nodded regardless.

  
"As you may know, Altea was destroyed following the betrayal of Zarkon to take Voltron for himself. Our legends state that when the rightful princess of Altea awakens, the lions of Voltron will be reunited and Voltron will be reborn. Since our people were scattered across the Universe, we have held tightly to this legend as a beacon of hope." She inhaled deeply and continued.

  
"I felt the echo of an incredibly powerful Altean three days ago. I could scarcely believe it, but when I followed the echo to its source, I found the call of Voltron. I knew I had to act, so I did the only thing I could. I focused on the lion with the strongest energy signature, and created a wormhole to bring its paladin through."

  
"That must have been when Allura used the Teladuv to open a wormhole. We used it to trap Zarkon and separated him from the rest of the Galra fleet." Shiro's frown deepened as he thought back on the battle.

  
"You realize that without all five paladins, we cannot form Voltron." Shiro reprimanded as his frustrations grew. If anything the Alteans should be helping them; so far they have only been a hinderance. "You have severely hampered my team's ability to function, and they're more vulnerable to the Galra threat than before."

  
"I did not mean to hinder Voltron's efforts. But it was the only way to gain the attention of the paladins and by extension, the Princess." Romelle's expression remained unchanged as she spoke, simply stating her intentions as though stating facts.

  
"There are easier ways to get our attention, Princess." Shiro's shoulders tensed as he focused on holding his anger in check.

  
Romelle closed her eyes and shook her head. "We chose to settle on this planet because of the nature of its atmosphere. No transmissions or energy signatures can pierce it, effectively hiding our presence from the Galra. Conversely, we are entirely cut off from the rest of the Universe."

  
"Then how did you sense the 'echo'?" He resisted the urge to use air quotes; it was probably rude and they most likely wouldn't understand the gesture.

  
"All members of the royal family are able to sense the other's presence. It is how we remain connected."

  
Shiro blinked in surprise, suddenly feeling foolish. He had been calling her princess this whole time. "Are you... Related to Allura?"

  
Romelle quirked a small smile at his hesitation. "I suppose we would be very, very distant cousins. My family is descended from a branch of the original royal family."

  
Shiro took a moment to process the information he had been given. It was one thing to find a few Altean alive; it was another thing entirely to find an entire civilization that had managed to flourish under the reign of a stewardship. He wasn't sure if Allura would be elated with the reunion, or if she would feel like an outsider to these displaced people. Regardless, she wouldn't even get the chance at a reunion if she never learned of their existence, a problem Shiro hoped to remedy with a solution to his own pressing agenda.

  
"I need to get back to my team. I made a promise-" Shiro's voice cut out as the memory of a warm embrace filled his mind. "I have to get back."

  
"You have someone waiting for you," The princess stated with a knowing smile.

  
"I- No, it's not like that," Shiro stammered as he was caught off guard by her unexpected banter. He felt his cheeks burn light pink at the implications. "It's just very important that I keep my promise."

  
Romelle inclined her head, acknowledging his words though the smile remained. "I will help in any way that I can." Romelle answered.

  
Shiro blinked as her words struck him like a jolt. "What do you mean? Can't you just open a wormhole and send me back?"

  
"I cannot," She shook her head. "I was only able to find Voltron due to the surge of energy from, who I assume to be, the Princess. Without that energy to guide me, I do not know where to open the wormhole."

  
Shiro gaped at her. "You are not stranded, paladin," She appeased. "I will bring your situation before the Elders. With you as proof, we can send an envoy to search for the Princess and return your teammates."

  
"Easier said than done," Gigi suddenly cackled, drawing Shiro's attention.

  
"What do you mean?" His eyes darted between the old woman and the young ruler.

  
Romelle shifted once before settling, though her brows furrowed. "There are those within the Elders who believe we are better off as we are, and do not see a need to pursue the legends."

  
"Meaning..." Shiro paused as he waited for clarification.

  
"Meaning they won't believe that you are a Paladin of Voltron, and will never agree to sending a ship off the planet." Gigi supplied.

  
"He needs to leave." Bandor said fiercely. "He is nothing but trouble. I don't care if he is a paladin or not."

  
"As I said, I will do everything in my power to reunite you with your team." Romelle reassured.

  
"And what if you can't?" Shiro bit out, his frustration boiling over with the whole situation. He had been abducted not one, but two times, by forces battling across the universe, seemingly without a care for what the rest of creation wanted. He was worn down, disoriented, and frankly tired of breaking promises through no fault of his own. "What if I never make it off this backwards planet and my team never finds me? What good are the paladins of Voltron if they can never form Voltron?"

  
"If you're asking if I regret my decision, I do not." Romelle loomed over him from her platform, her presence suddenly filling the room. She stared down at him fiercely as she spoke. "For far too long my people have lived in fear, always watching and waiting for the Galra to finish what they started. We live our lives as though dictated by an evil those alive have never seen, locked in time by the memories of our ancestors. They chose this planet in order to hide from this threat, and then we bury ourselves further by burrowing into the very ground, erasing any signs of our presence, essentially doing the work of the Galra for them. The very threat of them alone has kept our civilization paralyzed. We live out our lives in the same ships that brought our ancestors to this planet, though I very much doubt this is the legacy they wished to pass on."

  
Shiro gaped at her in shock as his frustrations were washed away by her words, leaving behind an echoing sense of pain and understanding. He suddenly felt foolish for lashing out at her, as she was clearly acting for the good of her people.

  
Romelle inhaled deeply and her presence seemed to lift, allowing Shiro to release his own breath.

  
"So if you ask me if I regret my actions, my answer is no, I do not, nor will I. I have felt the echo of my Princess and I have witnessed the awakening of Voltron. She needs to know that her people are alive and stand with her in her fight against the Galra. The Paladins need to know that we have not abandoned them, nor are we blind to the sacrifices they are making for a people they have never met."

  
And Shiro knew in his heart, she meant every word.

 

* * *

 

 

Keith woke with a start, his eyes unfocused as he concentrated on breathing. He could feel Red pressing on the edge of his mind, demanding entrance. After a moment of regulated breathing, he allowed her in. She immediately wrapped him in reassurances as her gentle purrs grounded his chaotic emotions.

  
It was like this every night since Shiro's disappearance. His sleep was assaulted with the fears he held back during the day, twisting into horrifying nightmares that left him gasping. The images began to flicker unbidden in his mind, causing him to grip the sheets tightly.  
Red growled suddenly, shattering the parade of images, displaying instead the hanger where she waited with Black.

  
Keith sighed and rose, wiping the tear tracks away as he plodded to the bathroom. He knew without looking that it was the middle of the night cycle. He had yet to have a full night's sleep, and he could feel the weight of his exhaustion acutely.

  
He dressed for the day and made his way quietly to the hanger. He wasn't sure why he kept returning to Black's bay, other than the fact that Red had taken it upon herself to move in. He quirked a grin at the memory of Coran finding her, demanding to know when Keith had moved her. The Altean's face had gone slack when he informed him she had relocated on her own.

  
Red purred in greeting when he walked through the bay doors. He smiled tiredly in reply and walked up to her feet.

  
"Hey, Black," He glanced up at the enormous lion as he settled against Red. She didn't reply, but he wasn't surprised. She hadn't answered since the first night. Allura had begun her bonding with Black a few days ago, and while Keith knew she was focused on connecting with the Altean, he still missed her motherly presence.

  
Red nudged his mind affectionately, and Keith focused on her link, sending reassurances and gratitude to the needy lion. They settled into comfortable silence under the watchful eyes of Black. Even without the link, he knew she was content with the arrangement.

  
He forced himself to relax as he allowed his mind to drift, thinking back to the chaotic week.   
Coran and Pidge had pledged to find a way to trace the wormhole back to its origins, a feat Coran insisted was possible, but would take some time to develop. Slav had eagerly offered his assistance, stating he couldn't survive in a universe without Shiro's constant grounding reminders.

  
 _You mean when he loses his shit?_ Lance had supplied helpfully, something Keith had unfortunately somehow missed witnessing. Slav had insisted it was for the greater good, to which Pidge had enthusiastically agreed, and Hunk had just as fervently voted against, insisting it was beyond unnerving to see the normally calm man so unhinged.

  
Regardless, the timeline only served to emphasize their obvious shortcoming, and Allura had again insisted upon flying the Black Lion until Shiro could be located.

  
It had been surprisingly painful to hand Shiro's bayard to Allura. Rationally, he knew the bayard needed to remain with the lion and her pilot, who consequently happened to be Allura, but in his heart, it was like giving up his only tie to Shiro. He had agonized over it, dancing around the weapon while it sat on his bed until he could no longer put it off. He had practically shoved the bayard at her, and had refused to meet her gaze when she had thanked him.

  
Lance had taken it upon himself to teach the Princess on flying the lion, citing his 'unrivaled experience' and loudly reminding the team that he had the most time piloting his lion. Keith suspected he just wanted a chance to ride in the Black Lion while Allura flew, but there was no reason to voice his opinion. To be honest, Keith wasn't sure he even wanted to step foot inside the Black Lion again. With all the talks Shiro had drilled into him about leading the team in his place, he wasn't sure if Black felt the same way, which could somehow lead her to reject Allura's attempts to bond. Plus there was the nagging feeling that no matter how much Shiro believed in him, Keith would never be good enough to take his place.

  
And therein lied the root of his nightmares, the part that had driven him to his knees in the middle of the night, spewing his guts to his personal porcelain - or Altean equivalent - god. His mind had ruthlessly supplied him images of his teammates' broken bodies, their remains lying around him like offerings in a macabre ritual. Everywhere he turned, his eyes met their own unflinching gaze, their cold, dead stares somehow reflecting disgust and betrayal. It was his fault, his shortcomings, that had lead to this. He was too rash, too reckless, and they had paid for his mistakes. When he looked up, frantically trying to escape their judgemental eyes, Shiro was standing just outside the bloody circle, his gaze a devastating mix of disappointment, disgust, and hatred.

  
_I knew you weren't good enough. What a waste of my time._

  
"No, Shiro, wait! Please! I never wanted this!"

  
Keith reached for the paladin, stumbling over the bodies of his teammates as he fought to close the distance between them. Shiro slowly turned from him and walked away, his slow steps somehow pulling him away faster than Keith's sprint could catch. His chest heaved as he fought for breath. He could feel the slide of tears down his face as the passing air chilled their tracks.

  
"Please! Don't leave me! Shiro!"

  
_Such a disappointment..._

  
His words echoed around him mercilessly. Keith choked on a sob as he stretched his hand out, desperately reaching for the man he admired above all others, his fingers splayed with the effort.

  
A sudden roar shook Keith to the core, and he lurched forward with a gasp, panting heavily as he fought to orient himself. Red rumbled against his mind as he focused his attention on Black's looming presence, taking comfort in her silent support.

  
"I'm okay, Red, I'm okay." Keith rubbed his face with a shaky hand as he leaned back against the lion, the metal already cooling behind him.

  
Her answering rumbled suggested she didn't believe him as she nudged gently against his mind. He sighed as he tried to relax again, rolling his tense muscles even as they throbbed in protest. He could almost wear his exhaustion like a blanket, and while he desperately wanted to sleep, the echoes of his chilling nightmare lay just behind his eyelids.

  
Red prodded his mind again, causing Keith to sigh and close his eyes as he concentrated on her. She quickly wrapped her presence around his mind, reminding Keith of a large cat curling up around him.

  
As her warmth blanketed his mind, he felt himself begin to drift, his eyelids drooping as he relaxed entirely against the cool metal. Part of him welcomed the reprieve, while the other fought against it. The echoes of his nightmares lingered in the back of his mind; he could almost see their bodies, lying broken on the ground at his feet... Red's presence pulsed around him him, forcing his fears from his mind, projecting her intentions of standing guard while he slept.

  
With a tired thanks, he gave in, safe in the knowledge of Red's protection.

 

The blare of the ship's alarm jolted Keith awake. He stumbled to his feet, feeling even less awake than before his nap and ran to the bridge. He barged through the doors, focusing his attention on the main screens.

  
"What's happening?" He asked, slightly winded. A quick glance at the main hub showed he had only dozed for a... Varga? Whatever it was, it wasn't long enough.

  
Allura kept her attention on the transparent screens, waving her hands to narrow in on the flashing icon. "We've picked up a distress beacon. The hail is for urgent extraction."

  
Keith frowned as she brought up a visual, displaying a small ship floating listlessly.

  
"What's the deal? I was having the best dream!" Lance yawned as he ambled through the doors, followed by Hunk and finally Pidge. The yellow and green paladins were dressed in their casual clothes, while Lance hadn't bothered with more than his fluffy blue robe.

  
"There's someone who needs help. They're not far from here." Coran turned to the group from his place at the front. "It would only take a couple doboshes to get to them."

  
"I don't like it. I say no." Keith stated firmly.

  
"Whoa, just like that?" Hunk blinked in surprise at the red paladin.

  
"Need I remind you we have an obligation to those in need," Allura twisted enough to eye Keith pointedly. "We're close enough that we can assist them quickly, and considering the urgency of their message, they may not last long enough for another ship to pick up their signal."

  
"And need I remind you that we're down a paladin and unable to form Voltron in the event that this is a trap." Keith snapped in reply. "I don't think bringing strangers onto the ship is a good idea."

  
"It's only one little ship," Lance supplied, grinning at Keith's frown. "Let's just swoop in, save the day, and get out."

  
"As much as I hate to say it, I agreed with Lance." Pidge added with a yawn. She slouched against the nearest chair and rubbed her face with her hands, pushing her glasses up. "It will be a nice change of pace, if anything."

  
Keith ground his teeth as he was out numbered. "Fine, but we'll only stay long enough to get them on their way. That's it."

  
"Thank you, Keith," Allura nodded to the disgruntled paladin then signaled to Coran.

The Altean turned back to his controls enthusiastically. "Unidentified ship, this is the Castle of Lions, answering your distress signal. Please respond if possible." As he hailed the disabled ship, Allura navigated the castle closer, her brow furrowed in concentration.

  
Coran waited a few moments before trying again. When no one responded, he checked his frequency and tried again. "Unidentified ship, this is the Castle of Lions. Please be aware we are coming in to assist you, and will be connecting for boarding. Standby."

  
The paladins watched with varying degrees of interest as Allura crept slowly up to the small ship, maneuvering the large vessel to float alongside the stationary craft.

  
"Deploying tethers." She announced, tapping her interface. Three points lit up on her screen, flipping from red to green as the tethers launched.

  
"Tethers have been successfully attached." Coran confirmed. "Deploying connection enclosure." As he waited for the connection to seal, he hailed the ship once more. "Unidentified ship, prepare to be boarded."

  
As he waited for an answer, Allura turned back to the paladins. "I need two of you to go down to the port and board the ship. Assess the situation and give me an update as soon as possible."

  
"I'll go with Hunk." Keith spoke up immediately. Hunk blanched at the suggestion.

  
"Why do I have to go? Do I get a say in this?"

  
Keith was already heading to the door. "Because I trust your judgement when it comes to people and no." He heard Hunk groan as he followed.

  
A quick change later, the two paladins stood inside the airlock. Hunk fidgeted nervously where he stood, his eyes darting back and forth.

  
Keith finally sighed and asked. "What?"

  
Hunk jumped at the clipped question, glancing quickly to the red paladin. "It's just, we're about to board a damaged alien ship, in the middle of space, with no idea if they're friendly or hostile, or if they're even alive! What if it's just a bunch of floating bodies!"

  
"I've got your back, and I know you have mine. That's all you need to worry about." Keith answered shortly, then pulled his helmet on and activated the visor, ending the conversation. Hunk heaved a breath and engaged his full cover visor. "Allura, we're in position."

  
"Copy, opening airlock now."

  
A loud hiss echoed through the chamber, followed by a feeling of weightlessness as the gravity was disengaged. Keith pushed off the back door and floated quickly through the connecting tube. He settled gently against the docking door of the ship and waited for Hunk to disengage the outer lock. The door slid open silently, and Keith glanced cautiously around the frame, his dormant bayard in hand.

  
"Clear," He called, signaling Hunk to move in. The yellow paladin nodded and entered. He floated to the end of the hall and braced against the wall, checking both sides of the intersecting hall. With the signal for all clear, Keith floated behind him. He braced himself off Hunk's shoulder, using the perch to signal to the larger boy. They silently split off, each taking a hall as they began to sweep the ship.

  
Keith floated cautiously through the silent ship. All the doors were closed, but without power, he was unable to open any of them. He opted to knock on each and wait for any signs of life, but the ship seemed to be deserted. He ended his search at the end of the hall, bracing against a large door that most likely lead to the cargo bay.

  
"Hunk, all clear. I didn't find anyone."

  
"I'm good here too, but I found the bridge. I haven't gone up yet." Hunk replied in a tinny voice.

  
"Copy, wait for me there. I'm on my way." Keith pushed off and backtracked through the ship, his senses still on high alert. He knew in his gut there was something wrong with this situation, but he couldn't quite place the source of the feeling. He found Hunk standing at the foot of a ladder, and the larger paladin waved him over.

  
"I think I can hear someone moving around up there," Hunk whispered, glancing up into the dark hole.

  
"Cover me, I'll head up." Keith activated his bayard and moved to the base of the ladder. "Attention crew, do not shoot. We're here to rescue you. I'm coming up."

  
He glanced at Hunk as the silence stretched, who shrugged and shook his head. Keith studied the hole once more then pushed off the floor. He activated his shield the moment he cleared the tube and quickly scanned the bridge. Movement caught his attention at the far end of the room, and he moved towards it slowly as he tried to discern its shape. He heard Hunk bump into the ceiling behind him and was slightly reassured by the backup.

  
"We are the Paladins of Voltron, here to rescue you. Identify yourself." Keith called firmly, eyes locked on the hunched figure. The creature suddenly turned its head and stared directly at him. Hunk squeaked and raised his weapon, but stopped just short of firing.

  
"Thank the stars!" The being rose from its crouch, standing roughly a head taller than the red paladin. "I thought I was a goner!"

  
"Are you injured? Are there any others?" Keith questioned as he studied the strange lifeform. The alien looked like the cross between a large human and a chameleon. Its eyes darted rapidly in different directions as it spoke with a wide, scaley mouth. It was wearing a bulky spacesuit, and its helmet was shaped like a football to accommodate its protruding eyes.

  
"No, no, I am alone. I was out for a supply run with my systems started to shut down." It rubbed its hands together anxiously, or at least one pair of them. Keith noticed at least three pairs of arms total. "I couldn't figure out what went wrong."

  
Keith frowned, his gut feeling tightening at the alien's words. "We can take a look at your systems and see what we can do."

  
"Thank you! It's such a relief to hear." The alien glanced at Keith's sword and shield, both eyes pausing briefly on the weapons before veering off in different directions again. "I know it's a lot to ask, but would I be able to get some food and rest while you repair my ship? It has been quite a while since I have had both."

  
"I don't see why not," Hunk answered as he deactivated his bayard.

  
Keith bit back his response and nodded, relaxing enough to power down his bayard as well. "Fine. I'll brief our crew. Grab whatever you need quickly."

  
"Right, right, of course!" The alien began to rummage around, grabbing items here and there while another set of arms opened a large, rigid backpack.

  
"Allura, do you copy?" Keith turned away slightly, though he kept one eye on the creature.

  
"We copy, Keith. What's the status?"

  
"We found one occupant, the pilot, unarmed. No passengers. Most of the systems are down on the ship, and it has requested to come onboard while we conduct the repairs." As he finished speaking, the creature pulled the backpack on and floated silently, waiting for Keith to finish.

  
Allura's voice came back immediately. "Request granted. Let's see to our guest. Good job, paladins."

  
Keith bit back a sigh and nodded to the alien. "Let's go."

  
The creature's face broke into a wide smile as it rolled its eyes upward. "Fantastic! Thank you again for your efforts."

  
"Oh, you'll love it in the Castle." Hunk waved the creature over and began to descend the ladder. The alien followed, and Keith finished the procession. The remainder of the trip consisted of Hunk telling their new guest about every wonder the teen found about the ship.

  
After a brief interlude outside the airlock to remove their helmets, Hunk and Keith escorted their guest to the bridge. Keith was relieved to see Lance had changed into regular clothes, something Allura had no doubt insisted. He also didn't miss how the blue paladin blanched at the sight of the large alien; no doubt he was hoping for a more comely guest than their lizard-like companion.

  
"Welcome to the Castle of Lions," Allura greeted with a smile, her arms wide in welcome. "I am Princess Allura, and this is my advisor, Coran." She introduced the excitable man with a gentle wave of her hand. "And these are the other paladins of Voltron, Lance and Pidge."

  
Lance flashed a bright smile and winked at the alien. "Always a pleasure to lend a helping hand."

  
"Yes, yes, and such help is always welcome!" The strange creature exclaimed, its eyes rolling frantically. "My name is Gustovian Persefonov. I am so grateful for your help, please, I am forever indebted."

  
Allura's smile turned sheepish as she listened to his pronunciation. "Gustu- Um, sorry, how did it go again?"

  
"Can we call you Gus?" Hunk interjected, practically bouncing in place.

  
"Of course! I wouldn't mind in the least." Gus swiveled an eye to the large boy and grinned, showing off his rows of teeth. "You've been most pleasant."

  
"Gus," Allura started hesitantly, clearly unsure about speaking with a stranger with such familiarity. "I understand you asked for food and rest while we repair your ship. We are more than happy to supply you with both, but if you could excuse us, it is very late, or early, for us."

  
The lizard-like creature clasped two sets of hands across its chest as it focused one eye on the princess. "It's practically the middle of the night! How terribly rude of me. Please, I am exhausted from my ordeal as well. I will take my rest beforehand. You need only show me where I can curl up."

  
Relief flooded Allura's features, and she made her way to the doors, collecting the alien as she went. "Let me show you to your room. We'll begin work on your ship as soon as we wake."

  
Keith tightened his hold on his arms where they lay across his chest. The sooner they began the repairs, the quicker the alien could leave, and the better he would feel about the whole situation. Despite the friendly disposition, he felt unnerved by Gus's presence. Maybe it was the way its eyes swiveled constantly in its head; aside from the moment Gus had focused on his bayard, its eyes never looked in the same direction.

  
"Well, some more shut eye sounds perfect to me," Lance stretched and cracked a yawn. "It's not good for my skin to skip out on my beauty sleep."

  
"No amount of sleep is going to fix that face," Pidge deadpanned as she rose from her place against her chair. She ignored Lance's sputtering as she addressed Allura. "I'm going to head down to the ship and run some diagnostics. I don't need anymore sleep."

  
Allura half turned as the doors opened, glancing at Pidge in concern. "Are you sure? It's rather late."

  
Pidge waved off her worries. "I'm up and I'm curious. It shouldn't take long anyway."

  
"Oh! Can I go too? Some of the tech on that ship looked amazing!" Hunk pressed his fists under his chin as he turned his puppy dog eyes on the green paladin.

  
"Hunk, seriously, you don't need to ask my permission." Pidge shook her head and left, Hunk trailing behind her as he spoke rapidly about the alien ship. Lance sauntered out after them, clearly still pouting about Pidge's comment.

  
Allura glanced briefly at the remaining paladin before addressing Coran. "Don't stay up too late."

  
Coran waved a hand dismissively while he typed on his hub. "Don't worry about me, Princess. I'm just putting the Castle into standby."

  
"Keith?" Allura focused on the red paladin, who hadn't moved since he returned with their guest.

  
He narrowed his eyes as he opened his mouth, but hesitated before he spoke. "I'll be in the training room." He answered flatly. Allura frowned slightly, clearly noting his hesitation, but left it alone with a small nod. He leveled one last look at the strange alien, then marched out of the room.

  
Keith fought with himself the whole way to the training room, working himself up with his endless thinking. He activated his bayard with a furious swish and called out a weak training level as a warmup.

  
He settled into the rhythm of his training, allowing his mind to wander as he automatically fought off the gladiator's advances.

  
Keith had always trusted his gut. His intuition had warned him of trouble just as often as his mouth got him into it. If his gut told him something was off, he had no problem expressing that feeling to others, often to his detriment. It had landed him in multiple altercations with certain unsavory classmates at Garrison. But it had just as often told him when to back off, and Keith had learned to trust it when it came to saving his own skin.

  
But this time he had remained silent. From the moment he stepped foot on the foreign ship, his gut had screamed that something was off, yet no matter how hard he focused, he couldn't find the source of his unease. The timing of the distress signal seemed a bit too convenient, but on the other hand, it was impossible to predict when a ship would fail and leave them stranded.

And the alien, Gus, seemed like a friendly enough person. It was easily the strangest alien lifeform he had encountered thus far. Perhaps part of his unease came from his association of its species with a creature he was more familiar with on Earth. Considering the multitude of alien forms they had encountered up to this point, and would no doubt encounter in the future, it wasn't unreasonable to find an entire race of multiarmed chameleons.

  
Keith wiped his brow as the last gladiator fell. He breathed deeply and rolled his shoulders, debating whether to push his training and forget his over analyzing, or continue his mindless exercises. His thoughts buzzed in his head and unease continued to clench his insides. With a soft scoff, he called out the next higher training, which Keith still considered a warmup.   
He growled in frustration as the thoughts continued to roll in his head, compounding his unease. He knew he shouldn't be making a big deal out of the situation. With Pidge and Hunk already working on Gus's ship, the alien would be gone quickly, and the whole ordeal would be behind them. But beneath his screaming instinct was another feeling he had been studiously ignoring.

  
His hesitation in voicing his concern.

  
He had the opportunity to air his concerns before they boarded the ship, and again before they had dispersed for sleep. He could have easily pulled Allura aside and explained his reasoning regarding his reluctance about the situation, or even just said it out loud. It's not as though the possibility of hurting another's feelings had stopped him before. So why had he kept quiet?

  
Keith spun quickly and viciously slashed two gladiators, sending their broken pieces skidding across the floor.

  
Because she wasn't Shiro.

  
He practically growled at his self admission and threw himself into the next wave of combatants.

  
Shiro would have listened to his concerns, no matter how farfetched they may seem, and given them legitimate consideration. Shiro trusted Keith's judgement, even if he didn't understand it at that moment. With Allura, Keith wasn't sure where he stood. She had apologized for her distrust and behaviour towards him after finding out about his heritage, but he couldn't help but wonder if some of her reluctance had carried over, even unconsciously. She didn't know him like Shiro did. Would she dismiss his concerns as overreacting or paranoia?

  
Or would she view his opinion as an attack on her position? With Shiro out of the picture, Allura had assumed command. It was basically understood; no one had come out and asked her to step up. She simply fell into the role. But his gut, his stupid gut, told him Shiro had spoken to her about this very situation, and how he felt about Keith leading in his place. Regardless of Allura's thoughts on the matter, he knew he was nowhere near ready to take on the responsibility that position entailed.

  
Keith finished off the last gladiator. By now he was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. His muscles ached with the dull pain of steady practice, but not enough to warrant a break.   
"Begin training level three," Keith called, slipping into a defensive stance.

  
The gladiator fell to the floor, landing lightly and settled into position. Keith inhaled deeply through his nose as he waited for the first move, his muscles tense. The training dummy twitched, then leapt forward, swinging its arm wide as it surged towards him. Just as Keith raised his sword to defend, the room plunged into darkness and the ship went silent. The gladiator fell to the floor in a heap, and the clatter echoed loudly against the sudden quiet.  
Keith's gut seized tightly, leaving him breathless with its intensity.

  
He had been right. Something was terribly wrong.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Keith lunged for his discarded helmet, shoving it quickly on his head.

  
"Pidge! Hunk! Do you read me? Allura?"

  
Pidge's voice immediately answered. "Keith! What's going on? What happened to the castle?"

  
"I don't know. We lost power somehow. Can you get back on the ship?"

  
"No. We managed to figure out what was wrong, but as soon as we fixed it the whole ship went into lockdown. The castle went dark immediately after."

  
"It was a trap! Oh my god, we're trapped on here!" Hunk's frantic voice echoed loudly through his helmet as it reverberated through Pidge's feed as well.

  
"Don't panic! If anyone can figure out what to do, it's you two." Keith cut through the yellow paladin's rambling as he walked around the room, checking the various control panels for power.

  
"What's happening in the castle?" He could still hear Hunk moaning in the background as she spoke.

  
"I don't know. I'm stuck on the training deck. The doors won't open." Keith growled in frustration as his search came up empty.

  
"Keith!"

  
The paladin stopped and focused on the new voice. "Allura! Are you alright?"

  
"I'm fine, but I'm trapped in my room. Can you get out?"

  
"It's possible, but I'm going to have to cut the door down." He eyed the main door to the deck as he spoke.

  
"Do it, we need to figure out what's going on. I don't know where Coran is, but you need to find him and Lance."

  
"Gotcha, hang on a tick."

  
Keith activated his bayard and sliced through the door. He kicked out the broken pieces and raced down the hall, his first thought focused on securing the lions. He slid to a halt outside the bay doors and glanced inside. Black and Red sat motionless at the far end of the room, and there were no signs of tampering from the outside. With one last glance, he ran back down the hall, racing to the control deck.

  
"Where did you put Gus?" Keith asked breathlessly.

  
"In one of the barrack rooms," Allura answered. "Is he alright?"

  
"Which one?"

  
"D-26. Keith-"

  
"Hang on!"

  
He turned down an adjacent hall, using his momentum as he grabbed the corner to propel himself forward. He skidded to a stop in front of the specific door, holding his bayard steady as he glanced into the open room. A quick sweep showed the room was empty, and Keith again took off down the hall, his mind focused on finding the alien.

  
"Gus isn't in his room." He heard Allura growl in frustration before she spoke again. "Are the lions-"

  
"The lions are fine, I checked the hanger already. I'm on my way to the control deck now."

  
"Keith! Hunk and I may have found something."

  
"What is it?"

  
"We were able to get the ship running again. It turns out he had written an encrypted code and scattered it throughout his hub to make it look like junk code which would then-"

  
"The point, Pidge!" Keith cut with a scowl. He hoped she could hear it through the feed.

"Gus faked the damage to his ship and booby trapped it so anyone who 'fixed' it would get trapped inside." She replied quickly.

  
"He didn't go after the lions. See if you can figure out what he's looking for. I'm on my way to bridge."

  
"On it!"

  
Keith slowed down at the end of the hall and crouched at the corner. As he worked to steady his breathing, he peeked around the corner, catching sight of the open doors and the sound of movement.

  
"Allura, it's on the control deck. No sign of Coran or Lance." Keith whispered into the mic.

  
"It may be trying to sabotage the ship!" She answered frantically. He could hear the faint sound of footsteps in the background; he could almost picture her pacing.

  
"I'm moving in, stand by."

  
"You need to wait for Lance and Coran!" Allura said firmly.

  
"There's no time, I need to stop it now." Keith hissed back.

  
He rose slowly from his crouch and crept up to the open doors. He listened a moment to the sounds echoing inside as he tried to assess the position of the intruder. With a deep breath, Keith surged around the corner, his bayard and shield ready.

  
"Stay where you are!"

  
The alien turned sharply at Keith's call, both eyes swivelling to lock onto him. The creature had stripped out of its space suit at some point, and was now wearing a skintight suit with strange ridges that stopped just below the rows of belts crossing its chest. It would have been comical if it hadn't started pulling knives from hidden sheaths, throwing them quickly at the paladin.

  
Keith dove behind the closest chair, wincing at the sound of the weapons whizzing by his head. He focused on the wall behind the chair as he listened for a break in the assault. The knives fell to the ground around him as they bounced off the smooth walls. With a snap decision, Keith dove for the nearest pile, dismissing his shield and bayard in favor of grabbing as many knives as possible.

  
He pulled into a roll, ignoring the whistling blades as they passed, and returned fire at the alien, releasing the blades one after another while he ducked behind another chair. A quiet grunt rewarded his efforts, creating a break in the attack. Keith glanced quickly around the chair, taking in the hunched form of Gus as well as the bag at his feet. He was standing next to the exposed Balmeran crystal and was holding what looked like a small pick.

  
"Allura! He's trying to destroy the crystal!"

  
"You have to stop him! We're too far from any Balmera to be able to replace it quickly!" Her frantic voice mirrored his own sense of urgency.

  
Keith recalled his bayard and inhaled deeply, focusing his adrenaline. With a burst of speed, he vaulted over the chair and raced towards the alien. The creature flung its pick and additional knives at the paladin, but he twisted and dodged as he ran, neatly evading the barrage. Keith stepped forward and swung, focused on the creature's arms with a roar.

  
A crack cut through the air just as a huge mass slammed into Keith's side, smashing him into the crystal. He crumpled to the ground in a heap. His head swam as he gasped for air. He groped for his dropped weapon as Gus loomed over him, its wide mouth curled up with smug satisfaction. Behind its head, a whiplike tail swayed side to side then began to twist around Gus's body, ending just below its belts.

  
"Is that all, paladin?" It sneered with disdain. "I could finish you here and now, but my lord gave me very specific instructions. Perhaps another time." Its sneer grew as it kicked Keith's bayard beyond his reach. The red paladin caught the glimmer of a chip of the crystal just as it collected its bag and limped out of the room.

  
Keith closed his eyes to shut out the swimming images, breathing deeply as pain wracked his body.

  
"Keith? Keith! What happened? What's wrong?" Allura's voice bounced through his head, pulsing with the throbbing pain.

  
"Gus-" Keith croaked and coughed, before trying again. "Gus took a part of the crystal. I'm going after him."

  
"Are you hurt?"

  
"I'm fine! We need to stop him!"

  
Lights suddenly flooded the room, triggering another wave of nausea as Keith struggled to get up. He took a moment to calm his stomach before he rolled to his hands and knees, his arms shaking from the effort.

  
"I got the power back on! What's going on?" Pidge's voice speared through his throbbing head.

  
"Gus is trying to escape with a piece of the crystal. He may be heading back his ship. Stop him." Keith ground out. With a deep breath, Keith pushed himself to his feet. He grabbed for the nearest chair as he swayed in place, cursing the intruder. Just one moment of weakness and he could barely stand.

  
"Pidge! Hunk! Did you find him?" He demanded as he closed his eyes and concentrated on standing.

  
"Keith!"

  
The paladin looked up through bleary eyes as Allura and Coran approached him. Coran grabbed his arm and maneuvered him into the seat he had been leaning against. "You're bleeding! What happened?"

  
Keith blinked in confusion for a moment then glanced over himself, taking in the various streaks of red covering his body. The cuts were superficial compared to the sharp pain in his side and throbbing head. "He caught me off guard. Where is he?"

  
Allura activated her hud and scanned the ship. "Paladins! The intruder is making his way towards the airlock on the third level. Stop him!"

  
Keith listened to the sounds of battle as Coran moved to check his wounds, his normally cheerful face pinched in concern. He winced when Coran swept a hand over his side. The Altean frowned deeply but remained silent as he finished his evaluation.

  
"Lance! Cover that hall! Hunk, lock down the airlock!"

  
"Pidge," Keith called out weakly. "Watch for its tail. It’s wrapped around its body."

  
"Roger!" She snapped just as the sounds of a scuffled took over the feed.

  
"Hey! Stop!"

  
"Whoa, close shave, buddy."

  
"Someone get the pack!"

  
"Aw, come on! I thought we were friends!"

  
"NO! Don't let him!"

  
A sudden hiss drowned out the feed in Keith's helmet, setting off a wave of pain as his head protested. "Allura, what happened?"

  
"One of the airlocks was released." He twisted in his seat, ignoring Coran's protests to look at her. Her brow was furrowed as she flipped through the cameras, trying to find the source of the sound.

  
"He jettisoned out the airlock!" Pidge suddenly screamed. "Lock down AL3-214!"

  
"Got it!" Allura tapped rapidly at her screens. The hiss over the feed suddenly stopped, leaving a hollow silence.

  
"Is everyone okay?" Keith called out. "Pidge? Hunk? Lance?"

  
"We're all good."

  
"Holy smokes, that was scary."

  
"What a moron! Who does that!?"

  
"Everyone, get to the control deck. Coran, disconnect from the ship. We are leaving immediately." Allura demanded, her face hard.

  
Keith pulled off his helmet as the others answered and leaned his head back against the seat. He closed his eyes as he tried to force the pain away, cursing his inability to help. When he opened his eyes again, he was face to face with Pidge, her face pale with concern.  
"Keith?"

  
He rolled his head forward, slightly concerned that he hadn't heard them come in. "I'm okay."

  
Pidge opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the wail of their alarms. The others scrambled to their seats while Pidge remained in place. Through the fog in his mind he realized he was sitting in her chair. She caught his eye and pressed a hand against his chest when he tried to rise. "Don't you dare move."

  
She pushed him gently to one side then stood on the other, activating her hub controls. She was practically standing in the screens, but made no move to adjust.

  
"Enemy ship detected just beyond the planet's moon!" Coran called out. He brought up a visual on the screen. "It's a Galra battleship!"

  
"We need to leave immediately! Prepare for a jump!" Allura called from behind.

  
Pidge was typing furiously on her controls as a screen popped up on her hub. "The ship just picked up Gus's backpack. He was working for them!"

  
"Implications later, jump now!" Lance supplied.

  
The battleship pulled away from the moon and began to turn towards open space, away from the castle. "What are they doing? Are they just leaving?" Hunk asked incredulously.  
Just as he spoke, the ion cannon swivelled and locked on their position, lighting up as it charged.

  
"They just had to leave us a parting gift!" Lance screamed.

  
"Wormhole now!" Coran yelled.

  
Allura closed her eyes as she focused, causing the room to glow as she opened a wormhole above them.

  
Coran slammed his controls and the ship leapt forward. Just before they passed through the rift, they watched as the battlecruiser suddenly initiated a jump to lightspeed, preventing the cannon from firing.

  
As the bright light of the wormhole flooded the deck, Keith closed his eyes against the assault. The lights throbbed in time with his wounds, and with a gentle sigh, he collapsed into blissful darkness.

 

* * *

 

  
Shiro followed Bartune through the halls of the ship. Romelle had dismissed him into the Altean’s care.

  
_He is one of my closest friends, and one of the smartest men I know. He will answer any questions you have._

  
“This place is amazing. I'm impressed the ships still work after all this time.” Shiro glanced around him, struck by the similarities between his surroundings and the ship he now called home.

  
“Thank the ingenuity of our engineers. It's their technology that allows us to use the Balmeran crystals with the highest efficiency.” Bartune answered proudly. He stopped in front of a door halfway down the hall. He pressed his hand against the sensor and opened the door.

  
“My team and I had to replace the crystal on the ship after it was destroyed by the Galra. We were fortunate to have a Balmera close by, but we had to fight to liberate the Balmerans from Galra rule.” Shiro followed him inside and looked around. It was larger than his regular room, holding a large bed on the far side, flanked by twin night stands. The immediate space held a sitting area, complete with two chairs, a small couch, and a table in the middle.

  
“You've been on a Balmera!? That's incredible! I've only ever seen pictures of it in the ship's database." Bartune sighed wistfully as he settled into one of the chairs. "I would love to see one in person. Maybe one day.”

  
“We could probably take you there, once I get back.” Shiro sat down with a smile. “We need to thank them for their help anyway.”

  
"Really?! I would love to. Thank you!” The Altean beamed at him.

  
"Of course. Allura would love to meet you.”

  
Bartune shook his head slowly as he settled back in his chair. “It truly is miraculous that she survived the Calamity.”

  
“Calamity?”

  
“The destruction of our world,” Barnum clarified somberly.

  
"Tell me about the Alteans. I want to know more about you." Shiro coaxed gently.

  
"Forgive me for saying so, but I'd have to teach you like an Altean child, learning about our history for the first time."

  
Shiro chuckled and settled back into his chair. "I'm a bit big to be a child, but alright, let's hear it."

  
Bartune smiled brightly, stood and cleared his throat, settling his stance like an actor on stage. He spoke slowly, his tone somber as he told the story of Altea.

  
'The story of our people is not a happy one. We are a displaced race, clinging to the memories of what once was and hopes of what could be.

  
_'Long ago, we were Alteans in more than just name, an advanced race who helped bring Voltron into existence. Our society thrived, and we flourished under the leadership of our wise king, Alfor._

  
_'We were not selfish in our riches. Our people happily spread our knowledge and wealth to our neighbors. But with the completion of the lions, we had the ability to spread our prosperity with the rest of the Universe._

  
_'Our own great leader, King Alfor, was chosen by the Red Lion to represent our planet and spread our word. There were others within our people who were chosen as paladins, but the honor of Leader of Voltron went to another leader, Zarkon of the Galra._

  
_'Perhaps it was because of our close ties to the Galra that we felt their betrayal so keenly, even to this day, for we used to be the closest allies, sharing ideas and knowledge as though two halves of a whole. The very thought of betrayal was as foreign and unknown as the edge of the Universe._

  
_'But betrayed we were, blinded by our ignorance. Zarkon grew hungry for the full might of Voltron, and ruthlessly lashed out at those once known as family. Our people reeled from the blow, even as we rallied around our king and fellow paladins._

  
_'We held back their advance, and thanks to our technology and knowledge of the hidden workings of Voltron, managed to wrest the black Lion from Zarkon's unworthy hold. In his rage, he ordered the full scale destruction of our people, our society, and our existence._

  
_'King Alfor, realizing the true depth of Zarkon's rage, ordered an immediate evacuation of the planet. As our people struggled to comprehend the gravity of our plight, our king sent the paladins on one final mission, to scatter the lions far beyond the Galra's reach. He vowed to jettison his own in order to seal Voltron's power from the evil sweeping the land. At his side, his daughter, Princess Allura, spoke our people's desire to fight, to struggle for our place in the Universe._

  
_'It is said that King Alfor sealed the Princess's chamber himself, and upon launching her ship and the dormant Black Lion within, stood alone against the devastating anger of the Galra. Because of his sacrifice, Alteans live on, orphaned though we may be, and far fewer than we will ever be again._

  
_'No Altean had ever returned to the remains of our world, but it is our belief that our dear King lies at the heart of our destroyed planet, surrounded by the shattered remains. Every stone shall stand as a monument, every fragment a tombstone, every piece a silenced voice.'_

  
Shiro sat in stunned silence as the heavy words settled through the air. He jumped when something wet fell on his hand, and he blinked when he realized it was a tear. "Bartune, that was... incredible."

  
The Altean bowed his head and sat down in the opposite chair, his face considerably more somber. "Thank you. I always begin my lesson with the legend of our world's destruction. It's important that future generations understand where we come from, and how its effects are clearly still felt to this day."

  
Shiro looked up suddenly. "What do you mean, legend? That wasn't true?"

  
Bartune quirked a grin at his words. "You are very much like the children I have taught in the past." Shiro pouted slightly as Bartune laughed. "Your questions are very much like their own. It's to be expected, after all. You have just as much knowledge of our people as a child would."

  
"I guess, but I would rather not be treated like one."

  
"A fair request, not that I intended to treat you in such a way. But to answer your question, the legend is based in fact, but clearly written to view Alteans in the best light. As much as people may disagree, our ancestors played just as large a role as the Galra in the shaping of the Universe as it is today."

  
"So why tell the legend at all if it skews the truth?" Shiro questioned.

  
"I use the legend as a framework, a means to break down our history and examine each piece, fact and fiction." Bartune explained as he gestured with his hands. "Allow me to begin with the first line, 'The story of our people is not a happy one.'. This is clearly set to generate sympathy from those listening. It sets the stage as the Alteans being the oppressed, while all others are the clear villains. Now, don't get me wrong, we have very clearly been wronged, and the destruction that occurred was a blatant act of genocide. However, nuances of our history show a much more complex story than a simple tale of good versus evil."

  
Shiro nodded as he listened, fully engrossed in Bartune's lesson. He was a fantastic speaker, reeling in his listeners with a clear voice and carefully chosen words.

  
"Do you teach often?" He asked, suddenly curious.

  
"Not as often as I would like," Bartune sighed. "I am fascinated by the history of our people. There is so much that happened that lead to the destruction of our world, and the story is far more tangled that I ever imagined when I began my research. There are many details that could easily be lost in time. I believe it is our duty to remember our calamity with as much detail as possible, in order to preserve our history in its entirety."

  
Shiro smiled at Bartune's enthusiasm. "It's clear you care deeply about this."

  
"I wish more people did as well. So many view it as a waste of time, ancient history, but it is more important than ever that we understand where we came from." He clenched his fist as he spoke passionately.

  
"So tell me more. What's next?" Shiro leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

  
Bartune shifted to the edge of his seat, his focus devoted to his one attentive student. "The next line is one of the more honest of the legend, and is one that has held true through the years. 'We are a displaced race, clinging to the memories of what once was and the hopes of what could be.'" Bartune nodded sagely as he recited the words. "The one thing that all Alteans agree upon is that to this day, we still view ourselves as displaced, even though we have lived on this planet for many millennia. We are not Polluxians; we are refugees on a foreign planet. The memories we cling to in our case are both abstract and physical, as we live out our lives in the very ships our ancestors used to escape all those years ago. However, we still long for the day when King Alfor's daughter will awaken and lead us to prosperity once more."

  
Shiro frowned as he turned the words over in his head. "Calling yourselves refugees implies the possibility of returning to your home, but in this case that's impossible."

  
Bartune nodded in agreement. "True, a fair point, but it is how we have thought of ourselves for hundreds of generations. It is a difficult thought to dispel."

  
"I can understand the need to identify yourselves like that in the beginning, while your people were running from Zarkon, but what about now? You've settled on a new planet, and while it's clearly nothing like Altea, this is your home. Why cling to something that you'll never get back?"

  
"The same reason why you cling to the memories of your arm," Bartune nodded to where Shiro had laid his hand, unconsciously gripping the forearm of his Galra tech. Shiro blinked in surprise, releasing his hold with a start. "You lost your arm to the Galra, and yet I am sure you would trade anything if it meant getting it back and being made whole again."

  
Shiro swallowed thickly as he dropped his gaze. His words had hit close to home.

  
"It is the same for us Alteans. All of us feel as though a part of ourselves is missing, and while we understand that our world is gone forever, it does not stop the longing in our hearts. However, that does not mean that we cannot appreciate the world we have now, and learn to make the best of it."

  
The paladin inhaled deeply as he listened, reflecting on his own sense of loss. He was right. Shiro would trade anything to be rid of the tech that marred him, leaving him incomplete and broken. But the Altean had also been correct about learning to appreciate what he had in its place. The Galra could have killed him outright, or left him to suffer with one hand, rendering him useless, unable to fly even if he had escaped in that state. Whatever Haggar had planned for him, he had escaped her grasp, and the hand she had meant to be used as a weapon was his to use as he saw fit.

  
He looked up to find Bartune watching him carefully. He took a steadying breath before he spoke. "I see what you mean, but it doesn't make it any easier."

  
"Such lessons are never meant to be easy," Bartune answered gently. "What's important is that you learn to accept what you have, and make it your own."

  
Shiro suddenly scoffed and shook his head, a small smile gracing his face. "Are your lessons always so poignant?"

  
"The best lessons are the ones that speak on a personal level with the student." Bartune answered with his own smile. "I find one on one sessions to be much more rewarding."

  
Shiro shook his head slowly, dispelling his heavy thoughts. "So what's next?"

  
Bartune leaned back and steepled his hands in front of his face. "The next portion of the lesson includes the second and third paragraphs of the legend. There is much that the wording has simplified, condensing years of negotiations and history into a few sentences. This is a portion I could spend an entire lesson period discussing."

  
"Well, it seems like I have nothing but time," The young man resettled, leaning again on his knees.

  
Bartune nodded, but instead of speaking, he rose and stretched. "Then I suggest we take a break for some food. I need a drink at the very least; I haven't spoke this much in many quintents!"

  
The paladin rose and stretched as well, sighing as his muscles protested briefly. "Thank you, Bartune, for taking the time to speak with me."

  
The Altean grinned brightly at the Earthling. "Think nothing of it! I'm happy to have found such an attentive student." He walked across the room to a panel Shiro hadn't noticed before and tapped the screen, speaking softly when it lit up. After a moment, a new window popped up on the screen, and Bartune tapped it once and turned to the new opening in the wall. The panel slid open silently, producing a tray with a large pitcher, a few glasses, and a stack of bright green crackers. Bartune took the tray, carefully balancing it on one hand as he tapped again at the screen, closing the panel. He adjusted his grip and brought the collection to the small end table set between their chairs.

  
Noticing Shiro's stare, he quirked an eyebrow as he poured their drinks. "Room service. It's not usually so fast; they must have been waiting for you to ask."

  
"I wouldn't have even known it was possible." Shiro chuckled, accepting the glass. He eyed it carefully before taking a sip, secretly relieved to find it was just water.

  
"I sent the request earlier."

  
The pair looked up quickly as Romelle entered the room, a delicate smile on her features. "Taking a break from lessons?"

  
Bartune nodded and poured a drink for her, offering his seat with a flourish. She inclined her head in thanks and sat gracefully, taking a sip from her glass.

  
"I hope Bartune isn't boring you. We do not have much by way of entertainment readily available."

  
Shiro shook his head. "Not at all. I'm actually quite interested in learning more about your people. Allura and Coran rarely talk about Altea; it's still a raw subject for them."

  
Romelle hummed as she lowered her glass to her lap, holding it lightly between her hands. "It's difficult to imagine what they must be going through. For them, the loss must be so fresh, to wake in such a different time."

  
"Did you say Coran? As in Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe? The Advisor to the Royal Family?" Bartune suddenly lunged in Shiro's face, his eyes wide with excitement.

  
"Um," Shiro stalled, cringing back in his seat. "Yes? I'm not sure on the full name, but he did say he was the royal advisor."

  
The Altean straightened and clutched his hands to his chest, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I admire his work above all others! He was a brilliant engineer, such a wealth of knowledge! His family holds the prestigious title of Lead Engineers not only for the creation of Voltron, but the design and build of every ship Altea used during its golden age! His grandfather built the Castle of Lions, the design upon which all other carrier class ships were based!" Bartune sighed wistfully. "I had feared that he was lost during the Calamity, but to find out he is alive and well," He wiped a stray tear away dramatically and sniffed. "Miraculous."

  
Shiro watched him in disbelief, trying to reconcile the energetic and ditzy man with the one Bartune was describing. He hadn't really given much thought to his contributions to Voltron aside from a surprising depth of knowledge and his constant presence for Alura. He shared a glance with Romelle. She smothered a smile behind her hand and shook her head, her eyes bright with mirth.

  
"I guess I'll have to introduce you when I get back to the castle."

  
Bartune gasped, one hand clutched over his heart. "You would do that? For me?"

  
Shiro shrugged and smiled. "Sure. He would love to know he has an admirer."

  
The man sank into an empty chair as he gazed blankly at the table. "A chance to meet my idol..."

  
"Perhaps it will be sooner rather than later," Romelle spoke up, smiling fondly at her friend. She turned her attention to Shiro. "The Elders have agreed to meet with us. They will convene in the morning."

  
Shiro smiled widely, relief flooding his chest. "That's great! I wasn't expecting a meeting so soon."

  
"I suspect more than a few of them are curious." She answered with a tiny shrug. "It is not every day we have an outsider in our midst, and a paladin no less."

  
"Well then, I suppose that marks the end of your lessons." Bartune recovered from his star struck daze with a jolt. "We can continue them after your meeting, if you're still interested."

  
"I would like that. Thank you, Bartune. And thank you, Princess."

  
Romelle rose smoothly, replacing her glass on the platter. "Get some rest. It will be a difficult day tomorrow." With a nod to both men, she left the room.

  
"Well, you'd best get settled in. You'll need a full night's rest if you're going to face the Elders in the morning." Bartune gathered the remaining dishes and returned them to the hidden pocket.

  
"I'll try to, but I'm already nervous." Shiro admitted, clutching his hands in his lap.

  
The room was silent a moment before the Altean crossed the room and laid a comforting hand on Shiro's shoulder. "You have nothing to be nervous about. Speak the truth, answer their questions with honesty, and nothing will go wrong." Shiro looked up at his earnest face. "And besides, Romelle will be there with you the whole time. Take comfort in knowing you have her support."

  
Shiro inhaled deeply and nodded, forcing the heavy thoughts from his mind. "You're right, thank you."

  
Bartune waved away his gratitude and spent a few more ticks pulling a change of clothes for Shiro to sleep in, as well as something to wear in the morning.

  
"Well, I'm off to bed. Sleep well," With a wave, Bartune left, leaving a heavy silence behind the boisterous man.

  
Shiro dressed quickly and removed his prosthetic, setting it on the nightstand for easy access. He then settled under the covers, mildly amused by how much nicer his current bed was versus the barrack bed back on the ship. Memories of the ship brought a heavy weight in his chest. He missed his fellow paladins deeply. Coupled with his growing anxiety about tomorrow's meeting, he wasn't sure how he was going to get any sleep. He settled instead on thinking about happier times, and fell asleep remembering the warmth of a loving embrace.

 

* * *

 

 

Lotor slouched in his seat, eyeing the collected commanders with sharp eyes over his folded hands. The room was silent as he brooded, allowing them to stew uncomfortably. The silence stretched until he felt the tension reached a breaking point.

  
“Bring them forward,” He spoke firmly.

  
Two Galra stepped forward and knelt before the steps to the throne. Lotor eyed them over his hands, watching them fight the urge to fidget under his gaze. “Identify yourselves.”

  
“My lord, I am Second Lieutenant Reksa.” The tall, pale purple Galra answered swiftly.

  
“My lord, I am First Lieutenant Malkanic.” The second Galra had the same colored fur, but was almost a head shorter than his fellow soldier. Both of them would have towered over him had he been standing at their level.

  
“Lieutenants, of the two, who was in control of the ion cannon during the last mission?” Lotor quirked an eyebrow in question.

  
“I was, my lord,” Malkanic answered, his head bowed.

  
“So you were in the process of charging the cannon with the intent to fire on the altean ship, a violation of a direct order to not engage.”

  
The galra remained silent.

  
“Yes or no, soldier.” He barked, startling the tense Galra.

  
“Yes, my lord.”

  
“And you were only stopped due to the actions of your second lieutenant.” Lotor probed, watching the soldier closely.

  
“Yes, my lord.”

  
Lotor hummed thoughtfully. In any other situation, Lotor wouldn't have hesitated in dealing with the insurrection harshly. It would have been a simple matter of eliminating the culprit and moving on. However, his position, while vouched for by Haggar and in a way, Zarkon himself, was tenuous at best, and was constantly scrutinized by the power hungry commanders. He was well aware of the vacuum the Emperor's absence had created. If he decided to take care of the soldier himself, it would bring him to their level, not an Emperor above such tasks, but just another officer. But if he ordered the soldier’s execution and dismissed them, there was the chance his orders would be disobeyed again, and the soldier set free.

  
“Rise, Malkanic.”

  
The soldier hesitated briefly then rose to his feet.

  
“Who is your commander?”

  
“Commander Throk, my lord.”

  
“Who am I?” Lotor asked, cocking his head.

  
Malkanic looked up in surprise, confusion written on his face. “My lord?”

  
“Was it not a simple enough question?” The prince straightened in his chair, leaning forward slightly to rest his elbows on the armrests. “Who am I, lieutenant?”

  
“You are Prince Lotor, son of Emperor Zarkon, ruler of the Galra Empire.” Malkanic replied firmly, his eyes displaying his confusion.

  
Lotor smiled at the Galra, though his eyes remained cold. “So if you were given two conflicting orders, one from myself and the other from your commander, who would you obey?”

  
“You, my lord.” The soldier answered immediately.

  
Lotor nodded and leaned back, eyeing the soldier. “Were you acting under the orders of your commander?”

  
“No, my lord. I acted on my own.” The lieutenant refused to meet the prince’s eyes, instead fixing his gaze on a point just over his right shoulder.

  
“Why did you disobey my orders?” The prince tipped his head, as though he were genuinely curious.

  
“For the glory of the Galra Empire, sire.”

  
“Your loyalty to the empire is quite inspiring, soldier, but in saying so, do you believe I do not act in the best interests of the Galra?” Lotor asked, his voice like silk.

  
Malkanic stiffened as he realized his position. “Of course not, my lord.”

  
“Enough.” The prince barely spoke above a whisper, yet it cut through the Galra’s stumbling assurances.

  
The Galra remained at attention, his eyes fixed on a point just below the throne.

  
Prince Lotor fixed his yellow eyes on the Galra, pinning him in place as though to be put on display. Perhaps he will be, the Prince though with a cruel smile. “The Empire thanks you for your service.”

  
Just as Malkanic glanced up, Lotor whipped out his gun and fired, killing him instantly. His body fell back with a thud, his head landing just beside the horrified second lieutenant, a single hole between his eyes.

  
“Second Lieutenant Reska.”

  
The Galra jumped violently and stammered in response. “Y-yes, my lord.”

  
“Congratulations on your promotion to First Lieutenant.” Lotor spoke with a relaxed tone, his voice devoid of any concern for his actions. “You are dismissed.”

  
The stunned lieutenant rose and snapped a salute. “Vrepit sa!”

  
After the soldier left, the silence in the room fell like a heavy cloud. The commanders present resisted the urge to fidget as Lotor played with the weapon in his hand, turning it over and over to catch the light.

  
“Commander Throk.”

  
The Galra in question stepped forward, stopping short of the body. “My lord.” The tall Galra pressed his fist to his chest as he bowed.

  
Lotor carefully studied the commander over the rotating weapon. “I must admit, I am impressed by the depth of your soldier's loyalty. To actually claim that his actions were through his own judgement…” Lotor trailed off with a snort.

  
“You do not believe him, my lord?” Throk questioned carefully.

  
“I find it difficult to believe, though it is not unheard of. However, if he did, in fact, act on his own will, then it becomes an issue concerning lack of discipline.” Lotor holstered his weapon and leaned forward, setting his elbows on the throne's armrests. “I would much rather have an issue of loyalty than a lack of discipline. Wouldn't you agree?”

  
The commander kept his face carefully neutral. "Of course, my lord."

  
The prince suddenly smiled and leaned back as he threw his hands wide. "Excellent. Your efforts in completing this mission are appreciated. Dismissed." He waved away the remaining commanders as two soldiers stepped forward to collect the body, hauling it away after the others had left.

  
Haggar stepped forward from her place behind the throne. "Emperor Zarkon never personally performed an execution."

  
"My father never had a need to prove a point." Lotor answered bitterly. "How can I expect my orders to be followed if a lowly lieutenant willfully disobeys?"

  
Haggar stopped in front of the throne, eyeing him thoughtfully. "You are correct in saying so. It seems your... mixed heritage is causing problems within the ranks."

  
"Small minded purists," He spat with a scowl.

  
"Even so, they command a large part of your armies. Today's events will spread through the ranks quickly, but it will do little to sway the commanders themselves."

  
"I am well aware of that." Lotor's scowl deepened. The satisfaction of a successful mission had soured with news of the crew's disobedience. The loyalty of the soldiers was being tested, and he had no doubt the commanders would view this as a chance to conduct their own tests, pressing the limits of his control.

  
"Letting Throk leave unanswered will call your actions into question. They will believe you are too weak or too dependent upon them to punish them for their crimes." Haggar continued, unaware of his musings.

  
"Leave them be for now. It is clear that the absence of my father has bolstered the courage of his commanders. I wish to see just who has been waiting for their chance to seize the throne for themselves." Lotor was used to playing the long game. Setbacks such as these were to be expected, though working off of disobedience within the first mission put him in a worse position than he would have liked. But he had unrivaled patience, and the ability to keep the end goal in mind. This was just like home, only on a much larger scale.

  
"A test of loyalty then?" Haggar questioned.

  
"And their lack of discipline."

  
"I do not like letting them go unpunished, my lord.” She frowned and folded her hands together. “They will be more bold in the future. If they decide to rally against you-"

  
"That is what I have you for, Haggar. You, and your druids." Lotor interjected with a sly sneer.

  
"We stand with you, sire, but as you already know, our ranks are quite depleted. The battles have been hard on my druids, and we have lost many." Haggar replied stiffly.

  
"You’re welcome to replenish your ranks, but you must remain here. Send one of your order in your place."

  
Haggar frowned deeply. “My lord, traditionally I have picked those who would join our ranks. Sending another in my place is unheard of.”

  
“The position we are in now is unheard of,” Lotor countered. “My position rests on my ability to remain at least one step ahead of my commanders, and you play a large part in maintaining that lead.” He stood and approached the shorter woman. “Should you leave my side, they will seize the opportunity to strike.”

  
“Then what do you propose, sire?” She answered crossly.

  
“As I said, send one of your trusted druids in your place. I will send one of my own commanders as well to ensure everything proceeds smoothly.” Lotor loomed over the druid, gauging her reaction.

  
“The location of my druids in training is a secret, kept even from your father.” Haggar met his eyes with a glare.

  
Lotor grinned sharply at her words. “Then I know something he does not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters keep getting longer and longer. Sorry!  
> @.@

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own any of the characters nor do I make any money off this work. All mistakes are mine, no beta.
> 
> Please be patient with me, I write in a rather roundabout way. Handwritten to Notepad to Google to AO3. I'll try to update consistently, roughly once a week, if not more. Thanks!!
> 
> Feel free to look me up at @remsyk-blog


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